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Ford Excursion wagon arrives as the biggest with the mostest
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. -- Muddy tracks engraved in a gravel trace shoot straight up a piney slope.
View this intimidating route through the windshield of the enormous sport-utility wagon we had steered through a thousand vertical feet of altitude gained on a rough off-pavement course high in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, and a prudent driver would naturally assume the slope should not be tackled in a vehicle like ours that stretches for more than 18 feet in length and tips the scales at over 3.5 tons.
Yet we had ventured into these mountains to test the mettle of the new super-sized Excursion wagon from the Ford Truck Division of Ford Motor Company, and a steep stretch of ruts would not turn us back, at least not without trying.
Besides, the Excursion packed powerful weapons for off-road work: A strong frame, tall chassis and the husky muscle of a ten-cylinder engine, plus an athletic suspension system designed to move this humongous mass of metal over off-road obstacles without upsetting riders ensconced in the well-heeled passenger compartment. It also stocked not only an all-wheel-drive system for applying power selectively yet automatically to any of four wheels with a grip on pavement, but with the flick of a dashboard switch evenly balanced four-wheel high and low ranges for off-pavement forays on dirt and mud -- or up a Rocky Mountain slope.
Thus armed, our Excursion tackled that steep and slippery grade.
Rotating the dash switch to lowest reach of four-wheel-drive, we pulled the column-mounted automatic transmission's lever down to the bottom gear, locked hands on the steering wheel and let the right foot ease into the accelerator. Tires, with special tread patterns for extra grip, drew from the strength of 310 horses plus massive amounts of engine torque to bite into all of that gravel and goo.
Then up we climbed, the wagon virtually scampering up the hill, tires spitting out the scree yet never losing traction, despite the severe slant of the slope.
What a ride -- but what a wagon.
Although it's fresh out of the factory as the newest Ford for model-year 2000, the Excursion immediately leaps ahead of all other sport-utility wagons as the biggest with the mostest: It has the longest wheelbase (137 inches), the largest cabin (with seats for as many as nine passengers and a cargo volume of 146.4 cubic feet), the biggest engines (with three choices, including the 310 hp V10 and a 235 hp V8 diesel), the largest payloads (up to one ton), the heaviest package (weighing up to 9200 pounds), and the heftiest towing capacities (to five tons).
From all measurements, it obviously becomes the new super wagon.
To create it, Ford started with a foundation from the super-size F-250 Super Duty work truck, which differs from a light-duty F-250 because it rides on the larger Super Duty chassis, contains the Super Duty suspension and mechanical systems, and pulls from one of three engines designated especially for the Super Duty trucks.
A wagon's superstructure rises from the Super Duty truck's chassis, with four access doors etched into the side slabs and a tri-panel gate at the rear, plus three tiers of seats (with buckets or bench in front, a second-row bench that flips and folds flat, and the back bench which rolls out the rear), yet still there's more room in the back bay for cargo -- 48 cubic feet with all seats in place.
Despite its intimidating size and tubby weight, the Excursion behaves with genteel manners and is surprisingly easy to drive, thanks in part to the balance between a strong suspension and power controls for steering and braking, plus an efficient layout of the cockpit with easy-to-reach and easy-to-use controls.
Interior comforts include form-fitting seats with conveniences like fold-down armrests and a console with compartments to hold personal gear.
Running boards mounted below side door sills provide a step to bridge the gap of the wagon's high ground clearance, and grab handles on interior pillars and ceiling rails allow riders to get a good grip when hiking aboard.
Each seat position has a separate reading lamp, and the vast cabin contains front as well as rear air conditioning systems with rotating headliner air registers.
Second-row seats function like a bench with fold-down armrest but split in 60-40 sections with individually reclining seatbacks. Each section tips and slides forward in quick movement to access the third-row bench.
&&& The rear three-part gate has a horizontal one-piece upper section with window which flips up and two side-hinged panels that swing wide. Hinge releases on side panels allow these bottom doors to move completely out of the way when loading large objects.
Powertrains for the Excursion consist of gasoline V8 and V10 engines plus a direct-injection diesel V8.
Ford's Triton 5.4-liter V8 with single overhead cam and sequential multiple-port fuel injection serves as the base plant, producing 255 hp at 4500 rpm and a torque measure of 335 lb-ft at 2500 rpm.
The big V10, displacing 6.8 liters, tops the Super Duty power curve at 310 hp, with torque to 425 lb-ft at 3250 rpm. It's available across the line but works as the standard plant on 4x4 Excursions.
And Ford's direct-injection diesel V8 at 7.3 liters musters 235 hp plus massive torque of 500 lb-ft at only 1600 rpm. The diesel ranks as an option on any variation.
Also, an automatic four-speed shifter runs across the board for all models and engines.
&&& Four-wheel-drive editions use an electronic shift-on-the-fly device with electro-pneumatic pulse vacuum hublock front axle. For pavement ventures, the system automatically distributes torque to whichever wheel set maintains traction. For off-road maneuvers, the system locks the differential and applies torque evenly to all wheels.
Two levels of trim -- XLT and deluxe Limited -- work with either rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive Excursion.
&&& Equipment on the XLT includes dual air bags and four-wheel anti-lock brakes, a remote keyless entry device with power door locks and power windows, passive anti-theft system, power exterior mirrors with built-in heat elements, running boards and roof rack, plus a stereo sound package with radio and CD player.
&&& The Limited lines seats with leather upholstery and adds aluminum wheels with all-season tires, a trip computer, lights on running boards, power for the driver's seat, and radio controls in the rear.
Rank the Excursion as a superior design for a super-sized wagon, and its price structure seems reasonable, beginning at $34,135.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2000 FORD EXCURSION Specs |
| Description: |
Super-size sport-utility wagon
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| Model Options: |
Super-size sport-utility wagon
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| Wheelbase: |
137.0 inches
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| Overall Length: |
226.7 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 5.4-L V8
SOHC 6.8-L V10
OHV 7.3-L V8 DI diesel
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| Transmission: |
Auto/4
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| Drive: |
Rear 4x2, 4x4
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| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS
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| Airbags: |
2
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| Gas Mileage: |
V8: 13/15 mpg
V10: 10/12 mpg
V8D: 15/18 mpg
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| Price: |
$ 34,135 to $ 47,000 |
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