Ford Performance Builds A Explorer ST For The Track

Typically when you think of vehicles taking to a road racing course, you don’t think about SUVs. Ford Performance Racing School has announced that it will be debuting a new heavily customized Explorer ST meant to take four people only a ride around a road course that will debut at the annual Woodward Dream Cruise.

The racing school has been conducting an ST SUV Experience for buyers of the Explorer ST and Edge ST SUVs. The new Explorer ST is an offshoot of what Ford learned from that program. It uses a standard 3.0-liter EcoBoost engine.

It’s fitted with a custom-fabricated roll cage protecting all four passengers. The normal seats are replaced with Recaro racing seats featuring four-point safety harnesses. Normal glass windows are replaced with nets in the doors, and the front brake rotors are replaced with the 16.5-inch units from the Shelby GT500.

Ford also replaced the wheels with Signature Wheels SV503 Track Series wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Those tires measure 315/30ZR21 all around. Ford Performance expects the new SUV to see lots of track time.