The new 2016 Ford Explorer, which was first unveiled at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show in November, has been on sale in most trims since May. But last week, the employees of Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant – along with Ford President of the Americas Joe Hinrichs, and UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles – finally got around to throwing the full-size SUV a formal (if belated) welcome party.
In their defense, things have been busy at Chicago Assembly; base, Limited, XLT, and Sport models of the redesigned 2016 Ford Explorer sold in numbers a stunning 24 percent more in May than the same month last year. In fact, says Ford Motor Company, that’s the nameplate’s best May retail since 2004.
Ford also has this to boast about: 7 million examples of the Ford Explorer have been sold since the SUV’s initial launch in 1990, making it the most popular SUV in the United States over the past 25 years.
It’s a bit premature, but we can say that we presume this new 2016 Ford Explorer will carry on with much the same popularity. At least, we hope that’s the case, as its production might help mitigate the loss of labor demand from the planned cessation of the Lincoln MKS during the summer of next year.
The final trim level of the 2016 Ford Explorer – the Explorer “Platinum” – is expected to launch late this summer.
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