Back in August of last year, Ford Performance conceptualized a heavily modified Ford Explorer ST to drum up some more interest in its driving school. Since then, this high-performance SUV has laid down plenty of laps around the school’s campus, which is based at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. Ford Authority happened to stumble across this Explorer ST at SEMA 2021, and it’s built to impress.
On the surface, this Explorer might appear to be a base model that just so happens to be wrapped in a special No. 14 livery designed by Lue Creative, and equipped with Nascar-style window nets and roll cages. Under the skin, though, there’s much more to this SUV. It’s powered by Ford’s twin-turbocharged 3.0L EcoBoost V6 engine, which delivers 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque in stock applications. This particular powerhouse has been tuned by HP Tunes, but so far, Ford hasn’t disclosed how much power it’s capable of.
To wrangle all that power, this Ford Explorer ST has a set of performance Brembo six-piston monobloc aluminum calipers, finished in a sporty red. These rotors apply the pads to the SUV’s Shelby GT500 16.5-inch vented front rotors for maximum stopping power. A set of Signature Wheels SV503 Track Series wheels conceal the brakes, and are wrapped in Michelin 315/30ZR21 Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. The suspension features Fox Racing Applications Development front-strut coil-overs, along with coil-over triple adjustable shocks with custom billet mounts for a smooth ride at speed.
Inside, passengers are protected by racing window nets in all four doors, and a set of four Recaro Cross Sportster CS seats with custom Ford Performance Racing School trim. Four-point Safecraft safety harnesses make sure all occupants of this high-performance Ford Explorer ST are properly secured.
We’ll have more on this track-focused Explorer ST soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for more Ford Explorer news and continuous Ford news coverage.
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