Ford Performance Unveils One-Off Explorer ST; Explorer ST RWD May Arrive Next Year

Ford is cooking up a storm for its formidable Explorer SUV. Most recently, news broke of Ford Performance Racing School's one-off Explorer ST, a four-passenger and race-ready variant with a twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 and a full safety cage. The racing SUV will debut at Woodward Dream Cruise and will be on display at "Mustang Alley" at the event.

And then, the folks at Ford Authority revealed a juicy bit of info: rear-wheel drive will become standard in the Explorer ST beginning early 2022. The Ford Explorer ST has a standard all-wheel drivetrain, while the Enthusiast ST is only available with RWD.

But for next year, the Enthusiast ST will become the Standard Equipment Group within the ST lineup and will have the same performance and styling points of a regular Explorer ST, albeit at lower prices. In addition, four-wheel drive will remain optional for the Explorer ST.

Despite the minor changes, the Explorer ST is soldiering on with a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 pumping out 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque, sending power to the rear wheels or all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic gearbox. On a different note, the Lincoln Aviator has the same standard RWD and 400-horsepower V6 motor.

However, take all of this with a grain of salt. Nothing is official as of yet, but you can still count on the Explorer Enthusiast ST to satisfy your whims of driving a racing-inspired SUV like the one-off model Ford is debuting at Woodward. Now, that Explorer ST has four Recaro Cross Sportster CS seats, four-point safety harnesses, racing window nets, and Brembo six-piston front brakes with aluminum calipers.

Also standard are 21-inch track-series wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Of course, it also has racing livery, this time from Lue Creative. "This is a work in progress; the vehicle will undergo more performance tuning as we learn its full potential," said Dan McKeever, president of Ford Performance Racing School. "Working closely with Ford engineers and with our valued partners, we are on our way to accomplishing just that."