Ford Explorer (2011 ) to get Ford’s new Curve Control

The 2011 Ford Explorer - this time behind a tree.

The picture you see above is in fact Ford’s 2011 Explorer. And in what has seemed like an interminable tease of images for the latest version of Ford’s SUV we’ve had everything out-doorsy with an Explorer half hidden in the background you could think of.

None of the 2011 Explorer’s detail has so far grabbed our attention; it all seems a bit copycat. In fact – with a former Range Rover guy in charge of the Explorer – it seems like it’s almost morphed in to a cut-price RR. It even has ‘Terrain Response’ and a silhouette very reminiscent of Land Rover’s finest. But now we get news of something which – although not the most welcome bit of news – is at least interesting.

Ford are going to fit a new electro-nanny to the 2011 Explorer – Curve Control. Curve Control is supposed to do for front wheel drive cars what stability controls have done for oversteer in rear wheel drive cars. It seems that if the car senses you are ploughing on instead of turning – the classic symptom of diving in to a corner too quickly in a front wheel drive car – the electro-nannies jump in, cutting speed by first reducing engine torque and then by applying the brakes.

Ford say this system – which can cut 10mph in less than a second – will help prevent up to 50,000 prangs in the US every year. Which despite our dislike of many electro-nannies is a hard statistic to argue against. But we do hope you can turn it off. A simple lift-off or a dab of the left foot usually sorts things out.

And it’s more fun.

By Cars UK