A rugged new Ford Explorer trim has been spotted in the wild now, prompting speculation in regards to what exactly the Blue Oval holds because of its three-row SUV.
This virtually undisguised prototype appears to be sporting unique wheels (with knobby tires) and bumpers with some red contrast elements, borrowing a number of its aesthetic in the Subaru Forester Sport; reactions in the Autoblog office so far are mixed.
The only elements that remain covered are the badges, but that’s enough to retain the mystery surrounding this trim’s identity. Given the shape and position of the badges, we’re inclined to think this will borrow Ford’s truck nomenclature. The Ranger and F-Series pickups can be found with an FX4 off-road package, which may appear to be an all natural fit of these taped-over bits.
The other possibility is some kind of graphical badge, which leads to another persistent Ford rumor. “Timberline” only agreed to be one of many names Ford sought to safeguard in a flurry of trademark filings from 2021 and 2021, among which now-known nameplates for example “Maverick,” “Badlands” and “Outer Banks” were also established.
“Timberline” has yet to create its way onto anything in the Ford portfolio, but based on our spies, the Explorer may be the first; whether it’s the only real remains to be seen. Judging by your these prototypes, we won’t need to wait long to discover. Expect this variant to debut in the coming weeks or months, likely no later than the Chicago Auto Show, which is currently slated for March.
