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Ford Sport Trac operates like a wagon but works like a truck
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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HEAVENER, Okla. -- In these timbered hills of the rugged Ouachita Mountains stretched over western Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, a pickup truck -- often caked with trail mud and packed with gear for camping and hunting -- dominates as the preferred choice for backwoods transport.
Proving the point, the parking lot around a mini-mart along U. S. 259 at Heavener was littered with pickups when we pulled in to refuel a different kind of truck from Ford.
Ours also was splashed with mud off the trail and its back bed was loaded with gear, but that bed was brief and covered by a hard tonneau that concealed the cargo. The cab, with four full-size doors instead of the typical truck's two, also concealed the contents, which happened to be seats inside for five in a space that seemed more akin to the cabin of a sport-utility wagon than a pickup.
And the exterior of our truck looked different from the lot: Its sheetmetal forms were curvy and cool, the abbreviated back bed seemed detached as a segmented boxed compartment, and ground-level molding ringing the body contrasted in color and united the entire package in a stylish design.
Those who parked their conventional pickups in the mini-mart lot noticed those differences in our truck -- so much so that several couldn't resist the question: What in the world is that?
What it is happens to be the latest concept in hybrid design, whereby traits of a pickup truck and sport-utility wagon come together in a single package of practical transportation that can carry up to five people in comfort and also provide multiple applications for cargo.
Ford labels its big idea as the Sport Trac.
It's a truck and a wagon wrapped in a distinctive new shell that reflects elements of both truck and wagon.
Foundation comes from the Explorer sport-utility, but with the frame extended to make room for a short pickup box.
In profile, the Sport Trac looks essentially like the Explorer from the front bumper and back to the C-pillar behind the second side door. Beyond the C-pillar, the wagon's enclosed cargo compartment has been replaced with the sawed-off bed of a pickup.
Yet that's no ordinary truck bed.
Crafted from sheet-molded composite plastic that won't dent or scratch or rust, the box extends for 50 inches and stretches 41.2 inches between the wheelwells, with sides rising for 19.7 inches. The space adds up to about 30 cubic feet in volume, with a pickup gate in back and optional tonneau cover as a lid that locks and also folds in half.
Obviously, the box does not approximate the bed of a conventional pickup and it won't accommodate truck load standards like 4x8 sheets of plywood. It will, however, provide enough room for a pile of sports gear, even a dirt bike or two or snowboards and backpacks.
Also, the bed contains a U-shaped tubular stainless steel brace that swings out for 22.6 inches to form a bed-extending rail with the tailgate folded flat for a floor. This makes a six-foot length for the bed.
Another extension trick comes from the back window of the Sport Trac, which drops via a power control button located on the dashboard. With the window glass lowered, you can carry long cargo items like lumber, fly rods or skis, with front tips extending through the window and into the cabin but the tails resting in the back of the truck bed.
The Sport Trac passenger compartment goes beyond the confines of a truck to provide the space and seats of a wagon. It contains four full-size doors to make entry easy from any seat and a seat system with two buckets in front of a back bench for three that splits and folds flat to form a sheltered interior cargo bay.
Twin storage bins concealed behind the rear seats stow valuable equipment out of sight of prying eyes.
All floor surfaces are covered by a thick rubber mat which not only insulates the cabin from noises of the road but also cleans up easily with a little soap and water after a muddy foray.
Full-size rear doors attach at the B-pillar by front-edged hinges. Each has a handle inside and out and may be opened independently of the front door.
Seats bring choices for style and upholstery material.
Standard issue front captains chairs covered in cloth have manual controls to move fore and aft on tracks and tilt the seatback, with the rear bench split in 60-40 ratio.
Sport buckets with low-rise backs are available with six-way power controls for the driver's seat, adjustable head restrains plus map pockets on seatbacks. Also, leather-trimmed versions can be added in front and rear.
Structural elements and mechanical equipment for the Sport Trac come off the Explorer wagon, although the frame was strengthened to handle heavy truck cargo by thickening the longitudinal frame rails and adding gussets and tubular cross braces.
The stronger frame improves chassis stiffness by 40 percent, which ends up taming the ride quality and setting up a taut tone.
Suspension elements mount to this stiffer chassis, with larger stabilizer bars in place front and rear.
Up front, wheels float independently through a torsion bar with a long and short arm arrangement. A live axle in the rear combines with two-stage leaf springs to generate smoother ride sensations.
Steering is quick, thanks to a rack and pinion system, and brakes have been strengthened with stiffer calipers on vented discs in front plus rear drums and anti-lock controls for all wheels.
For power, the Sport Trac draws from Explorer's single-cam 4.0-liter V6 engine that produces 205 hp.
It links to a five-speed automatic transmission which, in effect, adds another gear range between first and second notches of a normal four-speed automatic. This produces more precise gear ratios and, ultimately, better action for accelerating or applying traction to all wheels.
A manual five-speed gearbox will be available later.
The optional four-wheel-drive traction system uses a dashboard switch to shift from rear two-wheel to four-wheel high gear or into four-wheel low for more serious off-road stuff. A pulse vacuum hub-lock device sets front hubs quickly for 4x4 mode -- and it engages while moving at highway speed.
Expect keen price points for new Sport Trac, beginning around $23,000 for two-wheel-drive and less than $26,000 for the four-wheel-drive edition.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2001 FORD SPORTTRAC Specs |
| Description: |
Compact 4-door wagon/truck |
| Model Options: |
Compact 4-door wagon/truck |
| Wheelbase: |
125.9 inches |
| Overall Length: |
205.9 inches |
| Engine Size: |
SOHC 4.0-L V6 |
| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/5 |
| Drive: |
Rear 2WD, 4WD |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum/ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 (front) |
| Towing Capacity: |
5260 pounds |
| Gas Mileage: |
2WD: 16/20 mpg, 4WD: 15/19 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 23,000 to $ 31,000 |
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