GEN 2 Raptor based Ford Expedition (e.g. Raptor SUV)

[jaz13]

Sure, but 90%+ of people who buy Mustangs will never race them on a track. So does that mean Ford should start offering a Mustang version of the Fusion?

If OP is looking for a truly off-road capable SUV, his best bet is to hold out for the 202x Bronco (whenever Ford gets around to announcing something more official than a photo of some boots and a backpack in the woods). But the jury's still out on what type of vehicle the new Bronco will really be.

One's thing's for certain though: The truck OP wants (Expedition + Raptor) is a pipe dream.

Your analogy doesn't hold water. Mustang is a model while Raptor is a trim level. Some people can already buy the Ranger Raptor. No reason they cannot do the same to the Expedition. And many people are hoping for a Raptorized version of the Bronco when that comes out.

 

[jaz13]

The Bronco would make sense, the expedition? Not so much. At some point even the "sticker packaged" vehicles need to be a LITTLE realistic about the intent vs. actual use of what they're marketing. Do you really think ANYONE would take an Expedition off baja dunes? 7/8 passenger 3 row big boy SUV w/ the storage cubbies popping open & everything getting scraped up outside, they'd have to do a good bit of modification to have it look the part while playing the part even a little bit. Curb weights similar, but there's alot more stuff hanging lower you'd have to worry about vs. starting w/ an F150 that already has more R&D put into it from the start in terms of off-roading potential. The expedition shares some bones w/ the trucks but not the same.

Again - Bronco makes more sense to me......alot of sense $$$$$$$$

I'm not sure where you're coming from. Something like this looks pretty offroad worthy to me. I wouldn't be jumping it, but if I wanted a thrill from jumping, I'd much rather be on my dirtbike than my truck.

 

[jabroni619]

Your analogy doesn't hold water. Mustang is a model while Raptor is a trim level. Some people can already buy the Ranger Raptor. No reason they cannot do the same to the Expedition. And many people are hoping for a Raptorized version of the Bronco when that comes out.

Your issue with his analogy is easily rectified. Replace the word "Mustang" with "GT500"

 

[pierceography]

Your analogy doesn't hold water. Mustang is a model while Raptor is a trim level. Some people can already buy the Ranger Raptor. No reason they cannot do the same to the Expedition. And many people are hoping for a Raptorized version of the Bronco when that comes out.

My analogy holds plenty of water: How many Mustang owners do you know who regularly take their cars to the track? My point was that Ford offers performance versions, which serve to enhance the experience of the vehicle's purpose. The Expedition is no more an off-roading vehicle than the Fusion is a track monster, so making either of those would be a departure from intent and purpose.

But specifically regarding trim versus model, would you also be in favor of adding a Raptor version of the Escape? What about the Explorer?

And there is plenty of reason why Ford may not want to offer an Expedition Raptor: They don't want to dilute it as an offering. Part of its allure is the unique nature of the truck; It's like nothing else in Ford's lineup, or even major truck manufacturers as a whole. Oh, and there isn't a single global region where you can purchase an F150 Raptor OR a Ranger Raptor, which helps to validate this point.

You can say that the Raptor is a trim and nothing more, and at the surface that may be true. But I just checked, and fordkingranchforum.com is an available domain. Wonder why.

 

[jaz13]

My analogy holds plenty of water: How many Mustang owners do you know who regularly take their cars to the track? My point was that Ford offers performance versions, which serve to enhance the experience of the vehicle's purpose. The Expedition is no more an off-roading vehicle than the Fusion is a track monster, so making either of those would be a departure from intent and purpose.

But specifically regarding trim versus model, would you also be in favor of adding a Raptor version of the Escape? What about the Explorer?

And there is plenty of reason why Ford may not want to offer an Expedition Raptor: They don't want to dilute it as an offering. Part of its allure is the unique nature of the truck; It's like nothing else in Ford's lineup, or even major truck manufacturers as a whole. Oh, and there isn't a single global region where you can purchase an F150 Raptor OR a Ranger Raptor, which helps to validate this point.

You can say that the Raptor is a trim and nothing more, and at the surface that may be true. But I just checked, and fordkingranchforum.com is an available domain. Wonder why.

Your argument still doesn't hold water. BMW, Mercedes, and Doge "watered down" their halo M, AMG, and Hellcat brands by making SUV versions and it hasn't hurt sales in the least.

And I've seen plenty of ads hyping up the "high-performance" Edge ST.

It is unfortunate a SUV Raptor would hurt your ego, but expanding the brand would boost awareness and desire, not diminish it.

 

[pierceography]

Your argument still doesn't hold water. BMW, Mercedes, and Doge "watered down" their halo M, AMG, and Hellcat brands by making SUV versions and it hasn't hurt sales in the least.

And I've seen plenty of ads hyping up the "high-performance" Edge ST.

It is unfortunate a SUV Raptor would hurt your ego, but expanding the brand would boost awareness and desire, not diminish it.

lol, nice try. Not gonna bite on the ego troll attempt.

Look, I personally think a Raptorized version of anything other than what's available today is a bad idea. Again, see my point of why the Raptor being unique is a boon to Ford.

If you think watering the brand down with a Raptor Escape is a good idea, well.... Okay then. I saw an Escape with a Raptor-style aftermarket grill and flared fenders last month, and it was as silly looking as you can imagine.

 

[Winchester30]

 

[Badgertits]

I'm not sure where you're coming from. Something like this looks pretty offroad worthy to me. I wouldn't be jumping it, but if I wanted a thrill from jumping, I'd much rather be on my dirtbike than my truck.

Not saying it doesn't look cool just saying I think in terms of marketing worthiness & ROI/margin back in Fords pocket it doesn't make as much sense to me b/c you're really straying away from what they're trying to market as "raptor-esque" - OF COURSE most people don't jump/off-road/mud w/ Raptors (although if you go out west I do see quite a few Raptors that are definitely used as intended) - but the potential buyer still needs to "THNK" what they're buying is capable & makes sense based on Ford's marketing too.

A super fast full-size SUV makes alot more sense IMO - like the Trailblazer SS or SRT8 jeep - just bigger - I think Ford would sell more of that flavor & be able to build more margin into it. It would cost more $$$ in R&D/engineering to turn an expedition into a Raptor clone than into an "SS" or "SRT8" stalker.

Eventually Dodge will drop a hemi into a wrangler & the gloves will be off, that's their "nuclear" button IMO, & I could see the upcoming Bronco as a competitor to something like that.

 

[jaz13]

lol, nice try. Not gonna bite on the ego troll attempt.

Look, I personally think a Raptorized version of anything other than what's available today is a bad idea. Again, see my point of why the Raptor being unique is a boon to Ford.

If you think watering the brand down with a Raptor Escape is a good idea, well.... Okay then. I saw an Escape with a Raptor-style aftermarket grill and flared fenders last month, and it was as silly looking as you can imagine.

Maybe I'm desensitized and don't think the Raptor is all that special since I see dozens of them every time I leave the house. But the way I see it, the bigger the Raptor brand, the more Ford is committed to it and the more money they will dump into the program.

If it stays a niche thing, there is no guarantee there will even be a Gen3 as Ford shifts more of their engineering talent toward "the future of transportation". (current CEO came from their autonomous division and is far more interested in promoting that version of the future than supporting oversized dinosaur burners)

 

[baja619]

The Bronco would make sense, the expedition? Not so much. At some point even the "sticker packaged" vehicles need to be a LITTLE realistic about the intent vs. actual use of what they're marketing. Do you really think ANYONE would take an Expedition off baja dunes? 7/8 passenger 3 row big boy SUV w/ the storage cubbies popping open & everything getting scraped up outside, they'd have to do a good bit of modification to have it look the part while playing the part even a little bit. Curb weights similar, but there's alot more stuff hanging lower you'd have to worry about vs. starting w/ an F150 that already has more R&D put into it from the start in terms of off-roading potential. The expedition shares some bones w/ the trucks but not the same.

Again - Bronco makes more sense to me......alot of sense $$$$$$$$

This guy! Bink Designs Expedition goes all over the place including Baja.