Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn is bringing back the King Ranch edition of its Expedition large SUV for the 2020 model year.
Ford says big SUVs continue to appeal to customers across the U.S. with Expedition sales up 56 percent compared to the same period a year ago. The addition of a new King Ranch version aims to build on that success.
“The King Ranch name carries with it a legacy of hard work that defines the American ranching lifestyle, with the heritage and family traditions Ford Expedition represents,” says Andrew Kernahan, chief engineer for Expedition. “It’s a great addition to the lineup, growing Expedition’s appeal and personality in Texas as well as with customers across the U.S. looking for western-inspired style and timeless design.”
Today, according to Ford, approximately one in five Expedition buyers opts for the top-end Platinum model, while about six in 10 choose either a Platinum or a Limited model. Expedition King Ranch – which first debuted in 2005, following the Ford F-Series King Ranch in 1999 – increases the high-end choices for buyers.
Expedition King Ranch sports stone gray paint on the grille mesh, power-deployable running boards, rear bumper skid plate, trailer hitch cover, roof-rack side rails, and side mirror caps. Other exterior highlights include body color-painted upper bumpers and stone gray-painted lower bumpers, and 22-inch six-spoke painted machine-finished aluminum wheels with dark tarnish-painted pockets. King Ranch badging – mirroring the ranch’s distinctive “Running W” brand – appears on the body sides, liftgate, and wheel center caps.
Inside, the use of premium Del Rio leather extends over all three rows of seats, covers the door trim while the leather-wrapped steering wheel features intricate Kingsville stitching adding texture to the touch. Del Rio trim on the console is accented by the Ziricote wood veneer. The King Ranch “Running W” logo is emblazoned into the seatbacks of all three rows. The second-row is highlighted by power-folding, tip-and-slide captain’s chairs with perforated inserts.
As with Platinum models, King Ranch comes standard with Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist driver-assist technology, continuously controlled damping, 360-degree camera with split-view and front and rear washers, power-folding, heated sideview mirrors with turn signal indicators, security approach lamps, and auto-dimming driver’s side mirror.
Expedition Platinum is updated with new 22-inch wheels and new premium finishes. Leather upgrades highlight the interior, including an instrument panel topper wrapped in leather, plus front door trim rollover and console rails.
In other Ford news, the automaker says it is adding Austin, Texas as its third launch market for self-driving vehicles, joining Miami-Dade County in Florida and Washington, D.C.
Austin is the first city to allow a self-driving test vehicle on public streets. It also is one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation. Officials there predict vehicle use in the Austin region could double by 2040, while highway capacity will only grow 15 percent, highlighting the need for new transportation technology.
