<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/spyphotos/" rel="tag">Spy Photos</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/suvs/" rel="tag">SUV</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/crossovers-cuvs/" rel="tag">Crossover</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/lincoln/" rel="tag">Lincoln</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/ford-explorer-spy-shots/#5"><img vspace="4" hspace="0" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/04explorspyla-630op.jpg" alt="" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>Lincoln-grilled 2011 Ford Explorer spy shot - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
Granted, these aren't the clearest set of spy photos you're going to see this week. Regardless, they are interesting as they show what appears to be a next-gen <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/explorer">2011 Ford Explorer</a> with the familiar face of the current <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/lincoln">Lincoln</a> lineup grafted in place. Sure, it's not terribly surprising to see a luxurious Lincoln created from a more pedestrian <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/ford">Ford</a> product - it happens all the time - but why the Explorer?<br />
<br />
Consider that Lincoln already offers a pair of crossovers that are based on existing Ford models, namely the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/mkx">MKX</a> and the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/mkt">MKT</a>. Consider too that the next Explorer will migrate to a smaller, car-based crossover platform... and one wonders just how many CUVs the Lincoln brand could support.<br />
<br />
So, just what is this camo'd vehicle we see roaming the streets? Could it be a new <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/navigator">Navigator</a> (or a revival of the ex-Explorer-based Aviator), just a cobbled together mule from spare parts that doesn't have any production intent whatsoever, or something new altogether? Beats us. Feel free to take a look at the pictures and judge for yourselves. <span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks for the images,</span><em> George!</em><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/">Ford Explorer spy shots</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/01explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/02explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/03explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/04explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/17/reader-spy-next-ford-explorer-with-lincoln-esque-grille-caught/">Reader Spy: Next Ford Explorer with Lincoln-esque grille caught in LA?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/17/reader-spy-next-ford-explorer-with-lincoln-esque-grille-caught/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19400376/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/17/reader-spy-next-ford-explorer-with-lincoln-esque-grille-caught/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><small>Lincoln-grilled 2011 Ford Explorer spy shot - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
<br />
Granted, these aren't the clearest set of spy photos you're going to see this week. Regardless, they are interesting as they show what appears to be a next-gen <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/explorer">2011 Ford Explorer</a> with the familiar face of the current <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/lincoln">Lincoln</a> lineup grafted in place. Sure, it's not terribly surprising to see a luxurious Lincoln created from a more pedestrian <a href="http://autoblog.com/make/ford">Ford</a> product - it happens all the time - but why the Explorer?<br />
<br />
Consider that Lincoln already offers a pair of crossovers that are based on existing Ford models, namely the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/mkx">MKX</a> and the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/mkt">MKT</a>. Consider too that the next Explorer will migrate to a smaller, car-based crossover platform... and one wonders just how many CUVs the Lincoln brand could support.<br />
<br />
So, just what is this camo'd vehicle we see roaming the streets? Could it be a new <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/navigator">Navigator</a> (or a revival of the ex-Explorer-based Aviator), just a cobbled together mule from spare parts that doesn't have any production intent whatsoever, or something new altogether? Beats us. Feel free to take a look at the pictures and judge for yourselves. <span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks for the images,</span><em> George!</em><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/">Ford Explorer spy shots</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/01explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/02explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/03explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ford-explorer-spy-shots/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/04explorspyla_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/17/reader-spy-next-ford-explorer-with-lincoln-esque-grille-caught/">Reader Spy: Next Ford Explorer with Lincoln-esque grille caught in LA?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/17/reader-spy-next-ford-explorer-with-lincoln-esque-grille-caught/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19400376/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/03/17/reader-spy-next-ford-explorer-with-lincoln-esque-grille-caught/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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