Autocar March 22, 2023

IN THE PAST couple of years, Ford has lost its UK number one position, announced swathes of job losses and confirmed the end of muchloved cars like the Fiesta and Focus. Now, we finally get a look at the first all-new European Ford to spearhead its recovery and to lead it in the electrification era. The Explorer (p4) will take the place of the Fiesta on the production line in Cologne. The two couldn’t be further apart in who they’re aimed at, such is the radical shift going on at Ford. At the heart of this new Ford in Europe is ex-Audi exec Martin Sander. He’s been the voice behind many of the doom and gloom announcements in recent months. This week, he explains why he’s had to take such…

Ford’s new era has begun: the Explorer is a European-focused, European-designed and European-built electric SUV channelling the Blue Oval’s American spirit and conceived to do battle in one of the market’s fiercest emerging segments. Due to start rolling down the production line at Ford’s revamped Cologne factory (where it currently builds the Fiesta) from mid-2023, the squat new crossover measures 4460mm long. This pitches it roughly between the highly competitive small and midsized SUV markets and means it will compete with everything from the Jeep Avenger and Mini Aceman to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Skoda Enyaq iV. In this respect and many others, it is the most important new Ford product in decades and will be crucial in paving the way for a totally overhauled – and downsized –…

In some ways, the launch of the Explorer carries strong echoes of the 1998 launch of the Focus. But in other ways, it’s a complete contrast. The Focus’s practical task was always to trump the best-selling Golf, so it came with progressive European styling, a strong showing on reliability and a sophisticated all-independent rear suspension that put all others in the shade. Ford never beat the Golf but it played the European game well until demand for hatchbacks started to be hit by buyers’ strong swing to SUVs, by Ford’s own inability to make its European cars profitably, and by Dearborn’s decision to project a stronger American image in Europe. Ford still wants to make major components but it doesn’t mind using VW’s underbits for its strong sellers. In the…

How much will it cost? Ford hasn’t said, but expect a healthy premium over the Focus. A starting price in the mid-£40,000 range would line up the Explorer neatly against the similarly sized Volvo XC40 Recharge, and the highest-spec 4WD cars are likely to nudge the price towards £60,000. Ford says it has striven to keep running and insurance costs to a minimum. Ford Team Edison boss Ulrich Koesters said: “From a Focus customer perspective, we believe this will be affordable.” Is it an indirect Fiesta replacement? Ford of Europe boss Martin Sander (pictured) said the Explorer “can’t replace the Fiesta when it comes to customer expectations, because it’s a totally different vehicle – a totally different vehicle in a totally different segment”. Indeed, it is substantially larger and will…

The new Volkswagen ID 2all concept previews a sub-£22,000 electric car set to go on sale in 2026 and showcases a major brand revamp that draws inspiration from Wolfsburg’s rich heritage and is intended to make it “shine again”. The ID 2all features styling closer to the current Polo and Golf than the ID line-up of EVs – a design language that will now be applied to all future models. This is part of a major refresh led by Volkswagen boss Thomas Schäfer to make it a “love brand” again. Key to that is making a massmarket “affordable” EV that will be “as spacious as a Golf and as inexpensive as a Polo”. When it goes on sale in 2026, the Peugeot e-208 rival will be one of the first…

The much-touted BMW i5 Touring will arrive in spring next year as the first all-electric executive estate on the market. The EV was confirmed for production by BMW chairman Oliver Zipse during the car maker’s annual conference last week. “This is our unique selling point in this segment,” said Zipse. Before it arrives, its BMW 5 Series and i5 saloon siblings will be launched in October this year, with European, Korean and US markets taking deliveries first. Along with the i5 Touring’s pure-electric powertrain, the 5 Series estate, like the saloon, will be available with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options – the PHEV destined for both bodystyles later in 2024. The saloon will also get an electric M Performance variant in the vein of the i4 M50, Zipse told…