Bullnose Ford Excursion: What Could Have Been!
The first Ford Excursion didn’t arrive until 2000. But what if Ford decided to build one back in the ’80s?
The Ford Excursion was, in its day, larger than life. Literally. When the mega-ute debuted back in 2000, it was the longest and heaviest SUV ever produced. Much of that is due to the fact that the Excursion was based on the F-250 Super Duty. The 3/4 ton beast was designed to do battle with the Chevy Suburban. Sadly, it wound up as a perfect example of bad timing instead.
The Ford Excursion proved to be a popular vehicle among the Blue Oval faithful, but skyrocketing gas prices sealed its fate. Following the 2005 model year, Ford was forced to cease production as buyers sought more efficient offerings. And yet, the Excursion remains one of the most sought after SUVs to this day. Clean used examples sell for big bucks, especially those equipped with either the 6.0 or 7.3-liter Power Stroke diesel.
All of which got us wondering – what if Ford had begun producing the Excursion sooner? Would the giant SUV had then survived the fuel crisis of the early 2000s, like the Suburban? Well, it turns out that our friends at Ford Truck Enthusiasts were wondering the same thing. So they had automotive designer Pratyush Rout sketch up a “what if?” rendition of a bullnose Ford Expedition.
In this case, Rout used a combination of ’80s F-150 and Bronco design elements to create a four-door utility. All of which makes perfect sense, because 3/4 ton pickups from this era utilized the same bodywork as the F-150. Rout did blend in some Econoline taillights, however, just like the original Ford Excursion. The result is also reminiscent of conversions from the era by Centurion and Magnum.
And we think that it’s pretty darn cool. But this exercise is still a little bittersweet. Not just because we’d love to own an older Excursion, mind you. But because we’d like to think that an earlier arrival might have just saved the mega-ute from going the way of the dinosaur. Then, we’d still be able to buy one today!
