[[posterous-content:pid___0]]Ford turned to Facebook when it came time to unveil the 2013 Explorer Sport, a bolder and more powerful interpretation of the brand’s popular sport-utility. The Explorer Sport is now headed to the 2012 New York Auto Show, where it will make its first appearance outside the world of social networking. Powering the Explorer Sport is a 350-bhp twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission, which comes with paddle-shifters mounted on the steering wheel. In addition to beefing up the chassis to cope with the extra power, Ford has also upgraded the brakes and fitted a quicker ratio electric power-assisted steering system.
This Ford sport-ute has definitely been tuned to tackle slaloms and apexes more than muddy off-roading. That’s immediately apparent when you spot the Sport model’s 20-inch alloys, along with its low-gloss grey mesh grille, andblacked out head and taillights. All in all, the exterior mods are subtle and not too over-the-top, which should suit most buyers. By targeting competition like the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Ford is positioning the Explorer Sport as a car-like crossover with the moves and machismo of its rivals. Ford expects the Sport to deliver 16-mpg in the city and 22-mpg on the highway – noticeably better than the V-8-powered Jeep, but not quite on par with the Evoque’s turbo 4-cylinder.
Pricing has not yet been revealed, but expect the Sport to come in above the $40,000 you’d pay for the current range-topping Explorer Limited. Sales of the Explorer Sport begin later this year.
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