Explorer runs in the 13-second range while the Challenger struggles to get down the track.
The 3.5-liter EcoBoost makes the modern Ford Explorer surprisingly quick. When you tune that EcoBoost engine, gobs more power is unlocked and, of course, the curvy SUV gets even quicker. In this week’s Truckin’ Fast Wednesday video from the 02ss YouTube channel, we see just how quick an EcoBoost-powered Explorer can get with very simple upgrades.
Tuned EcoBoost Explorer
We don’t know the exact year of this Ford Explorer, but it is from the generation which ended in the 2019 model year. This is not one of the new modelswith the rear-drive chassis. In that previous generation, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 delivered 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque in stock form.
The EcoBoost’d Explorer in the video above has been tuned by Livernois Motorsports in Michigan. The only physical upgrades are a new, lower temperature thermostat and new spark plugs. Everything else is stock. It even appears to be riding on the stock wheels, so if you pulled up next to this SUV on the street, you would likely mistake it for an average vehicle.
However, it clearly doesn’t perform like an average Ford Explorer.
Battling the Challenger
In the video above, the Explorer is taking on a Dodge Challenger at New England Dragway. The footage begins with both vehicles staged at the starting line. When the green lights drop, the Ford SUV jumps out to an early lead while the Challenger driver stalls the car at the line. The Dodge is clearly a manual transmission model and the driver has fits launching and getting down the track.
As a result, the Explorer is able to cruise to the win. While the win is nice, the key point here is the elapsed time on the big end. This roomy SUV runs a 13.72 at 100.64 miles per hour. That is a quick enough quarter mile time to beat some older stock muscle cars. It is also quick enough to beat a badly-driven Dodge Challenger.
If you enjoy your Ford Explorer with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 and you want a little more performance, this video shows that a tune is a way to go. This SUV is quicker than the vast majority of cars on the street with a tune and a few simple changes, none of which impact the daily driving ability.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
You must be logged in to post a comment.