Jim Morrison is the Head of Jeep Brand for North America, and he seems after a really fun guy. After recently mocking Ford's issues with the Bronco's hard top, now he's taking aim at the Ford Explorer Timberline.
"I actually feel sorry for [Ford Explorer Timberline] customers that get tricked,” Morrison told Muscle Cars & Trucks. "You can paint a tow hook red. It doesn’t mean that behind the tow hook it would even hold up in the right moment that it needs to."
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That's not all. During the discussion, he allegedly pointed to a picture of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk climbing an incline and said the Timberline wouldn't be able to go nearly as high up the slope.
"We design all of those Trail Rated elements from the ground up… it’s not just a marketing term, it’s capability that’s bred in. You don’t just put stickers and paint on things. We build it in with incredible capability,” Morrison told Muscle Cars & Trucks.
The new Grand Cherokee Trailhawk two-row doesn't go on sale until late 2021, so right now we can only compare it against the Timberline on paper. It's still months before the pair can really go head to head off-road.
As a refresher, the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk comes with equipment like the Quadra-Lift air suspension system with up to 11.3 inches (28.7 centimeters) of ground clearance. It also has the Quadra-Drive II active transfer case with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential at the back. The electronic sway bar disconnect provides improved suspension articulation.
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Three powertrains are available. There's the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 293 horsepower (219 kilowatts and 260 pound-feet (348 Newton-meters) of torque. The 5.7-liter V8 has 357 hp (266 kW) and 390 lb-ft (528 Nm). Finally, the 4xe uses an electrically assisted 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 375 hp (280 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm).
The Explorer Timberline offers 8.7 inches (22.1 centimeters) of ground clearance, which comes from lifting the suspension by 0.8 inches (2.03 centimeters) more than the stock model. The drivetrain has all-wheel drive and a standard Torsen limited-slip rear differential.
The Timberline is only available with a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 300 hp (223 kW) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm).
