Is This Prototype 2019 Ford Explorer a Dodge Durango SRT Fighter? [Spy Photos]

2019 Ford Explorer
The 2019 Ford Explorer with Pirelli performance rubber. Durango SRT fighter? [Photo: Thomas Anthony Sievers]
Special thanks to TFL viewers Thomas Anthony Sievers and Brian Rabenhorst for sending us some awesome spy photos. These pictures contain what looks to us like the new 2019 Ford Explorer in heavy camouflage.

[Photo: Brian Rabenhorst]

Speculation

Of course, it is interesting to see the new shape of an upcoming vehicle. However, one of the more interesting things about this shot is something that is a bit harder to see. Thomas Anthony Sievers pointed out that this mule was driving around on some Pirelli Performance summer tires. On the surface this may not seem like a huge deal, but remember that Dodge just launched the Durango SRT that makes over 460 horsepower.

[Photo: Brian Rabenhorst]
Ford currently has an Explorer Sport that uses the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 (365 horsepower, 350 lb-ft of torque). Is this their chance to shove the Raptor’s 450 horsepower high-output EcoBoost into an Explorer? Ford likes to play their cards close to their chest and have not given us any confirmation on this, but the performance tires seen on this vehicle are a good sign that we could see a Raptor-powered Explorer built to go toe-to-toe with the Durango SRT.

Special thanks once again to our viewers Thomas and Brian for these photos. If you have some spy shots of your own that you would like to let us use, please send them to info@tflcar.com with your name and permission to use the photos!

To see some more angles of this prototype vehicle, be sure to check out the video below: