Ford Excursion
| Ford Excursion | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 2000–2005 |
| Assembly | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Full-size sport utility vehicle |
| Layout | Front engine, four-wheel drive |
| Related | Ford F-250/350 Super Duty |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 7.3 L Powerstroke V8 5.4 L Triton V8 6.8 L Triton V10 6.0 L PowerStroke V8 |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic 5-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | Template:Auto in |
| Length | Template:Auto in |
| Width | Template:Auto in |
| Height | Template:Auto in |
| Curb weight | [undue weight? ] |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Ford Expedition EL/Max |
The Ford Excursion is a full-size sport utility vehicle that was produced by the Ford Motor Company between model years 2000 and 2005. It was the largest SUV in the lineup while it was produced. Based on the Super Duty pickup truck platform, it offered large V8 (gasoline and diesel) and V10 (gasoline) engines, and seating for up to 9 passengers. It was designed to slot above the Ford Expedition as the flagship in the company's SUV lineup. The Excursion was designed to be classified as a heavy-duty vehicle, as for commercial or rural use, with a gross vehicle weight rating of over 8500 pounds, which exempted the vehicle from CAFE fuel economy regulations and quoting EPA fuel economy estimates [1]. The last Excursion was produced on September 30, 2005, at Ford's Louisville plant. Production was canceled to focus on Super Duty trucks.
Overview
Introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model year, the Excursion was immediately criticized for being too large to fit in most home garages and its poor fuel economy (around 15-16 mpg highway and 12-13 mpg combined highway and city) relative to the Chevrolet Suburban and GMC Yukon XL, its chief competitors [2]. Shortly before launch, the Sierra Club awarded the Excursion an "Exxon Valdez" award for this reason, in reference to the ill-fated oil tanker. Sales were initially good, but slowed as gasoline prices rose. In 2003, the 7.3 L Powerstroke diesel was replaced with a more powerful, and yet more fuel efficient 6.0 L Powerstroke diesel, giving 0 to 60mph times of under 10 seconds with reduced noise levels. Industry insiders expected Ford to stop producing the Excursion, but sales continued through the 2005 model year, and production of the Excursion finally ended in September 2005. It was not external criticism that killed the Excursion - rather Ford needed to free up capacity at the Louisville plant that produces the Super Duty pickup trucks. A more fuel efficient, extended-length Expedition, named the Expedition EL, has replaced the Excursion in the company's lineup for the 2007 model year. At the same time, a more luxurious Lincoln version has also been released, the Navigator L.
A 4-speed automatic transmission was standard, with a 5-speed automatic introduced in 2003. 2003 also saw the availability of an upmarket Eddie Bauer trim line. The grille was updated for 2005 and the engines were upgraded. The 5.4L Modular V8 puts out Template:Auto hp & Template:Auto ftlbf. The 6.8L Modular V10 puts out Template:Auto hp & Template:Auto ftlbf. The 6.0L Powerstroke Diesel puts out Template:Auto hp & Template:Auto ftlbf.
The truck uses code U4 in the 5th and 6th positions of the VIN.
Engines included the following:
- 5.4 L V8, 255 hp (2000-2004)
- 6.8 L V10, 310 hp (2000-2004)
- 7.3 L Diesel V8, 250 hp (2000-2002)
- 5.4 L V8, 300 hp (2005)
- 6.8 L V10, 362 hp (2005)
- 6.0 L Diesel V8, 325 hp (2003-2005)
The Excursion included a unique feature called the "BlockerBeam", which was an under-bumper rollbar-like device that helped stop smaller vehicles from sliding under an Excursion during collisions. The BlockerBeam concept is now widely used in the industry.
In popular culture
- A Mystery Machine limousine of this Excursion was used in the 2004 movie Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.
- Car Talk did a translation of Ford's Excursion press release.
- The Excursion is often mentioned in Rap lyrics, one of the most popular being by Krazie Bone in Chamillionaire's hit song Ridin', and also an entire song about the vehicle called "Candy Coated Excursion" by E.S.G. (Featuring Slim Thug).
- Avon Barksdale, a character from HBO series The Wire drives a Ford Excursion in the ninth episode of the first season.