Tuned Explorer ST Walks Away from Durango SRT at the Strip

With some software tweaks and different fuel, the 2020 Ford Explorer ST can outgun and outrun Dodge’s 475-horsepower muscle SUV.

There was once a time when you could get the Ford Explorer with a V8 in it. Not anymore. These days, the most powerful Explorer, the all-new 2020 ST model, uses a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 to carry families, haul trailers, and light up its tires.

Dodge employs a more old-school approach: a giant naturally aspirated 6.4-liter V8. On paper, it proves the saying, “There’s no replacement for displacement.” The massive Hemi pumps out 475 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque; the Explorer ST’s EcoBoost generates 400 and 415, respectively. As this video from The Fast Lane Car shows, the Durango also proves it in 1/8-mile drag races. But that’s nothing that a little tune can’t fix.

To show just what a difference that can make, host Andre Smirnov pits a stock Durango SRT against both a stock Explorer ST and an Explorer ST modified by 5 Star Tuning of Florence, South Carolina. The stock vs. stock 1/8-mile drag race at Pageland Dragway in Jefferson, South Carolina ends as you would expect it to. The more powerful Dodge finishes the run in 8.48 seconds at 82.41 mph; the Explorer ST needs 8.96 seconds and crosses the line going 78.68 mph. The 0-60 mph times – 5.0 seconds for the Mopar monster and 5.72 seconds for the Ford Performance people-mover – are similarly in the Durango’s favor.

Things turn out much differently after Smirnov gets behind the wheel of 5 Star Tuning’s Explorer ST. They were able to extract significantly more power out of its EcoBoost without upgrading any hardware. Their tech wizards added both grunt and speed by making changes to the software and fuel. 5 Star Tuning’s manager Chris Duncan tells Smirnov, “We’re running an E50 blend so it’s a mix of E85 and 93 [octane].” It’s a potent combination. Duncan adds, “We pick up a hundred horsepower and a hundred and sixty five pound-feet of torque to the ground.”

For the sake of math, let’s say that the stock Explorer ST suffers a 15-percent parasitic loss of power from its crankshaft to its wheels. That means it puts 340 horsepower and 353 lb-ft to the road. If that’s the case, 5 Star Tuning’s enhancements raise the Explorer ST’s usable output to 440 horsepower and 518 lb-ft – well north of the Durango SRT’s respective numbers of 404 and 400 (assuming there’s a 15-percent dip in output from the engine to the wheels). To make the most out of that extra firepower, 5 Star Tuning works its magic on the 10-speed automatic, too. Smirnov says, “They also tune the transmission shift points so it shifts a little harder, a little crisper.”

In a head-to-head match against the Durango, the souped-up Explorer ST avenges its stock sibling’s loss. 5 Star Tuning’s rig blazes through the 1/8 mile, gapping the Durango SRT with a time of 8.08 seconds and a trap speed of 88.02 mph. The Durango completes the trip in 8.63 seconds going 81.52 mph.

Even when it doesn’t have another vehicle to race against, the tuned Explorer ST is aggressive. Smirnov has to try more than once to lay down a good 0-60 mph run because the rear end keeps hopping as it tries to process all of the “monstrous torque” being rammed through it. Despite that, Smirnov manages to pull off a 4.8-second run (that time goes down to 4.52 seconds when he races against the stock Explorer ST).

All in, this tune costs less than $600, according to Smirnov. The holidays may be over, but any time is the right time to give the gift of extra horsepower and bragging rights – especially if you’re giving it to yourself.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Derek also contributes to other outlets. He started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube to get even more automotive content out to fellow enthusiasts.

He can be reached at autoeditors@internetbrands.com.

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