A few days ago, the "Fierce Horse Yechun" media test drive activity kicked off at the Huailai Tianmo Canyon Off-road Base in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province. Media professionals from all over the country gathered here to embark on an extraordinary off-road journey with the Ford Spirit, a pure-blooded hardcore off-road vehicle. In this miniature desert closest to the capital Beijing, the media deeply appreciated the purity and extreme brought by the Ford Fierce Horse, and enjoyed the excellent off-road driving pleasure.
Covering an area of about 1,300 acres, Huailai Tiandesert is surrounded by mountains, the Gobi is extended, the sand dunes are undulating, and the lakes are dotted, forming a changeable off-road terrain picture. The sand dunes and Gobi grass beaches here provide a variety of challenges for off-road enthusiasts. Climbing and descending on the sand dunes tests the vehicle's power and four-wheel drive system, while driving on the Gobi grassland tests the vehicle's passability and handling stability. Whether it's over rugged mountain roads, through steep tidal flats or rushing streams, the Ford Horse is as strong as a mountain, demonstrating the allure of a top-of-the-line off-road vehicle.
Climb the sand dunes and climb the steep slopes to conquer the rigors of the test site with ease
Backed by a true rally pedigree, the Ford Stronghorse has passed 16 million kilometers of testing to Ford's most demanding "Built Ford Tough" standard, delivering both off-road performance and reliability. In the BAJA off-road rally, known as the "most brutal on the surface", the Ford Stronghorse has won 32 times, creating a legend that is difficult to replicate.
This time into the sea of sand in the desert of Huailai, the excellent powertrain of the Ford Flame Horse shows its profound strength. When climbing over the dunes, the car body has to resist the huge resistance caused by the sand, which requires a strong power system to overcome. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine of the Ford Lie Ma produces 202 kW of power and 429 Nm of torque. This homologous upgraded version of the 2020 global "Ward Top 10 Engines" is undoubtedly the heart of Ford's Fierce Horse. Perfectly matched to this powerful heart is a lightweight and efficient 10AT gearbox. The design of the all-aluminum shell weighs only 106KG, but with 10 precise gears, every gear change is as smooth as flowing water, whether it is on the top of the sand dunes or in the depths of the sand sea, it can keep the engine in the optimal speed range, which not only ensures the continuous output of power, but also takes into account fuel economy.
As the industry's first model to offer a bigfoot kit, the Ford Spirit's 35-inch OD mud tires are also playing a vital role in the sandstorming journey. These "big tires" increase the contact area with the sand and improve the grip, allowing the vehicle to walk on soft sand.
On complex test tracks and steep multi-angle climbs, the Ford Stronghorse demonstrated its off-road prowess with excellent off-road geometry and advanced EMOD intelligent pre-loaded all-wheel drive system. The Ford Badland & Everglades Special Limited Edition features a precise design of an approach angle of 45°, a departure angle of 37° and a pass angle of 26°, as well as a ground clearance of up to 273mm, ensuring that the car can easily climb and descend steep hills. The 1700mm wheelbase of the Ford Horse not only provides excellent lateral control and stability, but also strikes a perfect balance between on-road and off-road performance.
Ford Liema's EMOD intelligent pre-loaded four-wheel drive system is directly driven by BorgWarner's EMOD motor + reducer, which increases the low-speed speed ratio to 3.06, and the transfer case torsion capacity is as high as 1850Nm, which greatly improves the vehicle's extreme off-road ability. This system enables the active all-wheel drive to intervene without delay, while reducing the risk of frictional overheating during off-road processes, ensuring a continuous and stable power output. Through mode selection, the EMOD system can also realize the pre-loading function, allowing the driver to precisely control the linear output of torque according to different driving scenarios, improving the accuracy and safety of off-roading. Thanks to the precise and intelligent torque distribution, climbing is stress-free for the Ford Spirit. When going downhill, the hill descent function is turned on, and the vehicle can be smoothly driven down the steep slope without controlling the brakes, which provides additional safety for the Ford Lie Horse during off-road processes.
Hardcore intelligent off-road configuration calmly breaks through the badlands canyon
In the changeable terrain of the Huailai desert, the Ford Liema easily copes with the challenges of high-speed gravel, washboard and concrete roads with its unique G.O.A.T. all-terrain intelligent management system. The system offers up to 7 driving modes, including Standard, Economy, Sport/BAJA (Badland/Everglades), Slippery, Rock Crawl, Muddy and Sandy modes, which can be intelligently switched to suit a variety of off-road scenarios. The G.O.A.T. system provides precise control of key modules such as ESP, differential lock, anti-roll bar, TCU, ECU, etc., as if an experienced off-road expert is on the side, providing professional support and assistance to the driver. The Bilstein three-stage nitrogen shock absorber on the Ford Lie Horse provides a small damping force during slight movement with its preset "sensitive position", ensuring stability and comfort. When the vehicle encounters large undulations, the shock absorber stroke exceeds the sensitive position, and the damping force increases, providing solid support for the vehicle and ensuring the stability and passability of the handling.
The most surprising thing is the BAJA mode in the G.O.A.T. all-terrain intelligent management system. As the originator of off-road racing from the "off-road purgatory", the Ford Flame not only pays tribute to its glorious history with the BAJA model, but also makes the driver of the Flame Horse feel as if he is in this off-road rally that is flying for nearly half of the race. In BAJA mode, throttle response and power delivery are faster to ensure that power is on call, the all-wheel drive system enters high-speed all-wheel drive mode, the traction control system and the body stability system reduce the intervention of driving behavior, and the suspension system is optimised to provide better handling stability and passability. At this time, whether it is crossing the sand at high speed or flying over the sand dunes at the limit, the Ford Flame Horse allows the driver to enjoy the fun brought by the difficult off-road and experience the purest off-road passion.
In addition, the intelligent off-road system of the Ford Spirits also plays a key role. Off-road creep mode automatically controls the speed and stabilizes torque at low speeds, making it easy for the driver to cope with tough and difficult situations. Off-road Cornering Assist significantly reduces the turning radius by intelligently controlling the rear wheels, improving agility and handling on narrow or windy roads.
And when it comes to more extreme off-road conditions such as large side slopes, pack peaks, and cross-axles in the canyon, the Ford Dana front and rear axle electronically controlled differential locks come in handy. When one wheel slips or even hangs in the air, the Dana front and rear axle electronically controlled differential lock can quickly lock the left and right half axles through the precise control of the electronic control buttons, and transfer 100% of the traction force to the adhesion wheels, effectively avoiding the situation of wheel slippage or trapping, and using a "skill" to get the vehicle out of trouble. This fast-response locking ability can be completed in only 200 milliseconds at an ambient temperature of 20 degrees, which greatly enhances the traction and ability of the whole vehicle to get out of trouble. At the same time, this system can still maintain the function of ordinary differential in the non-energized state, without affecting the normal driving of the vehicle, and is perfectly compatible with ABS and other vehicle stability systems, providing a more humanized operation experience.
Ford Spirit's intelligent front anti-roll bar disconnect technology also plays a crucial role in extreme off-road situations. In the climbing mode of the G.O.A.T. all-terrain intelligent management system, and when the all-wheel drive system is in "4H" or "4L" mode, the front anti-roll bar can automatically disconnect at speeds below 32km/h, improving the free travel of the single-wheel suspension and allowing the wheels to maintain maximum contact with the ground, thus improving the vehicle's passability. This feature is especially important when facing obstacles such as shell craters and bilateral axles, as it compensates for the lack of differential locks, ensures that both wheels are in contact with the ground at the same time, and increases tire adhesion, which significantly enhances the vehicle's ability to get out of trouble.
Innovative modular design strengthens the personalized off-road experience
Ford Leema's innovative modular body design also showed its unique charm during the test drive. Quick-release doors and roof allow drivers to experience extreme freedom in close contact with nature when off-road. After the door is removed, it can be easily stored in the trunk, which is convenient and practical. More than 20 detachable modules provide a wide range of personalized space for off-road enthusiasts, and more than 10 reserved holes for modification simplify the modification process and improve safety. The optional heavy-duty modular steel front bumper provides enhanced metal protection and enhanced safety. The front bumper design allows both sides to be removed to increase the approach angle of the wheel edge, thus improving the vehicle's ability to climb to the limit. In addition, the reserved screw holes on the front bar facilitate users to carry out off-road modifications, such as bull rails, front bar lights, winch brackets, etc., making the modification process more convenient.
The optional "Flying Lever" reserved overhead expansion switch provides 6-way electrical socket/modification switch reservation, simplifying the electrical modification process while ensuring the safety of modification, through the reserved switch, users can easily control a variety of electrical equipment, improve the off-road experience. Post-off-road cleaning is made easy by the optional washable rubber flooring in the front and rear rows, which are made of PVC for hydrophobic properties and have 4 active drainage holes for quick drainage. The off-road button is located in the center of the center console, and the rubber wrap ensures waterproof performance during off-road and cleaning, while making the operation of commonly used off-road functions within easy reach.
The Everglades Special Limited Edition Ford Spirits are equipped with a high-level wading hose that increases the wading depth to 925mm, significantly enhancing the vehicle's off-road capabilities. In addition, the standard trailer bag configuration has a towing mass of 1.5 tons, provides a rear trailer square opening and trailer power port (13 pins), and the officially tuned trailer anti-rollover system can significantly improve driving safety when towing and avoid death swing at high speeds. Off-road enthusiasts with a C6 license will be able to legally enjoy towing pleasure in the Ford Spirit.
Tailor-made for the Chinese market makes it more convenient to use the car every day
On the way to and from Huailai Tianmo, the media can also experience a series of functions and configurations that Ford Liema has deeply customized for Chinese users. The 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster and 12-inch LCD center control screen in the car constitute a digital driving environment with rich information, clear display and eye-catching vision. Equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, it ensures the smooth operation of the system and supports wireless CarPlay for an intelligent and connected driving experience. The drone linkage function provides a new perspective in off-road, allowing the driver to easily master complex road conditions. The B&O sound system is equipped with 10 high-quality speakers to bring an immersive sound experience to the driver.
The addition of the intelligent driver assistance system makes the Ford Flame a higher level of safety and convenience. The ACC adaptive cruise control system allows the driver to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of the vehicle while only knowing the direction on the highway, while the TSR traffic sign recognition system and BLIS blind spot monitoring system ensure driving safety. The high-spec hardware configuration and large capacity of memory and storage (16G+256G) provide strong performance support for Ford Spirit, ensuring FOTA upgrade redundancy in the next 3-5 years, so that the vehicle is always in the best condition.
In terms of appearance, the Liema reproduces the wild charm of the original model, with sharp edges and classic elements, showing an unyielding fighting atmosphere. The new Three colourways, Dune White, Cliff Grey and Angry Blue, complement the characteristics of China's mountains and wilderness, incorporating the beauty of nature into the design of the vehicle. The interior, inspired by landscape elements, combines upgraded materials and workmanship to achieve a harmonious coexistence of wildness and refinement. Features such as a multi-function leather steering wheel, heated seats and electric adjustment make it possible for drivers and passengers to feel taken care of during every adventure. Ford Lie Ma also offers high-gloss black alloy wheels as an optional package, upgrading the original steel wheels to high-gloss black alloy wheels that are more stylish, lightweight, and have better heat dissipation and corrosion resistance, improving the vehicle's appearance and enhancing performance and durability.
The domestically produced Ford Liema will be available in seven models, including Far Bay, Ink Diamond, Ink Drill Bigfoot Off-Road Edition, Long Beach, Long Beach Bigfoot Off-Road Edition, Heath and Everglades Special Limited Edition. All models can be pre-ordered through Ford's vertical and horizontal channels, with a reservation price range of 300-450,000 yuan. The new model will be officially launched at the end of April this year.
Ford Zongheng is committed to becoming a leader in the top outdoor off-road lifestyle, through the most leading, pure and personalized top products, a rich variety of personalized modifications and high-quality products, and the global community, to bring users the industry-leading one-stop outdoor off-road life experience, so that more outdoor off-road enthusiasts can freely explore and enjoy the world. In addition to top-of-the-line off-road products such as Ford Spirits, the "Ford Shopping Tour" will offer more than 3,000 pieces of outdoor products and more than 200 pieces of official and selected customizations. Ford's global community integrates content sharing, communication, and co-creation, bringing users a global outdoor off-road experience, and creating opportunities for global car enthusiasts with similar interests and hobbies to extend from online to offline. The first batch of "Vertical and Horizontal" activities were officially launched in March 24, including more than 70 classic outdoor off-road routes across the country, including 1-star to 3-star multi-level off-road and experience activities from light to moderate. In the future, Ford Zongheng will launch a higher level of heavy outdoor off-road experience activities. By the end of this year, the event will cover the regions where 180 dealers are located across the country.
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