Ford's aging Explorer Sport Trac could be getting a replacement - if a new concept bowing at the Detroit auto show is any indication. The Explorer Sport Trac concept due at the January show, Ford says, will deliver "more of everything that helped the original sport utility truck launch one of the fastest growing segments in the industry." With competitors like the Honda Ridgeline coming to the party, Ford seems prepared to grow the Sport Trac into a size class larger than it occupies now: the new concept is almost five inches longer, two inches wider, and two inches lower than today's Sport Trac, giving it a "street" look, according to a press release. Powered by a version of Ford's 4.6-liter V-8, the Sport Trac concept also gets Roll Stability Control, which Ford says it will put on more than a half-million vehicles this year. The 21-inch wheels add to the bling factor of the concept, which loses door handles in favor of keyless-remote controls. An independent suspension is fitted in the rear, and Ford promises more cargo options in the Sport Trac's bed. The Detroit auto show opens to the media on Jan. 9.

TheCarConnection.com

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