2020 Ford Explorer to be China-made

ABU DHABI: The 2018 Beijing Motor Show is not short of any excitement. And among all public debuts and concept unveils, Ford has announced that the next generation Explorer would be introduced next year (2019) as a 2020 model. However, what's important to note is that this new generation model will hold a 'Made in China' badge.

We could not get a very wide detailing from the images of the 2020 Ford Explorer as it was wrapped under blue covers, just like the Bronco. However, one can get to know quite a bit about the aesthetics by just looking at the silhouette.

The upcoming Ford Explorer would have a smoother profile up front. The front bonnet will be smaller than the current model with a lesser tapered front grille. The same roof rails would present, though the silhouette suggests that the rails will be more prominent. The roofline will be more rakish than the current one. The wheel arches of the model from the image appeared to have a more prominent bulge and more roundedness. However, all of these assumptions could be wrong as the covering may have just put more focus on the curves.

Apart from this, no other details of the 2020 Ford Explorer have been revealed yet. However, the fact that it would be made in China means it could get an all-new platform and a performance-oriented ST version. Additional details would be out once the company decides to unveil the new generation model.

The current model of the Ford Explorer in the Middle East is powered by two forms of the same engines, one a naturally-aspirated V6 and the other a turbo EcoBoost V6. The naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 engine makes a maximum power of 294 PS along with a maximum torque of 346 Nm. The other 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 makes 370 PS of power and a peak torque of 475 Nm. The power is sent down to the wheels via a 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission gearbox.

The 2020 Ford Explorer is expected to run on the same set of engines, without many alterations as such.