Ford D3 platform
| Ford D3 Platform | |
|---|---|
 Lincoln MKS, Former flagship model of Lincoln division | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | Ford D3: 2005–present |
| Assembly | Ford: Chicago, Illinois (Chicago Assembly) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class |
Mid-size car Full-size car Full-size luxury car |
| Layout | Front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive |
| Body style(s) |
4-door Sedan 5-door Station wagon 5-door Full-size CUV 5-door Mid-size SUV |
| Vehicles | See listing |
| Related | Ford D4 platform |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor |
Ford Panther platform Ford D186 platform |
The Ford D3 platform is a Ford global full-size unibody automobile platform. It is derived from Volvo's P2 , designed by the automaker before its 1999 acquisition by Ford, and adaptable to front- or all wheel drive on a variety of wheelbases. Officially, the D3 serves as the replacement for the D186 platform; in terms of market position and interior volume, the D3 serves as the closest successor to the long-running vehicles of the Ford Panther platform.
Ford assembles all D3-platform vehicles at the Chicago Assembly plant in Chicago, Illinois, while Volvos are built at the company's Torslanda Works in Gothenburg, Sweden.
Overview
The Ford D3 platform differs slightly from the original configuration of the Volvo P2 architecture, primarily in its adoption of a common 112.9 inch wheelbase (a three-inch wheelbase stretch) for all variants. To reduce production costs, Ford Motor Company adopted steel suspension arms (in place of aluminum) and similar material cost-saving measures.
From 2005 to 2016, the Ford D3 platform has underpinned the Ford Five Hundred, Ford Taurus (fifth and sixth generations), Ford Taurus SHO, Ford Police Interceptor Sedan, Ford Freestyle (later Ford Taurus X), Mercury Montego, Mercury Sable, and Lincoln MKS.
D4
D4 is a revision of D3 unibody platform created to underpin crossover SUVs and adaptable to multiple wheelbases. It forms the basis of the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT; in 2011, the Ford Explorer adopted the D4 architecture as it moved from a body-on-frame chassis.
Vehicles
| Vehicle Name | Image | Production | Bodystyle(s) | Model Code | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D3 platform vehicles (Ford, Lincoln-Mercury) | |||||
| Ford Five Hundred Ford Taurus |
  |
2005–2007 (Five Hundred) 2008-2009 (Taurus) |
4-door sedan | D258 | Five Hundred re-branded as Taurus in 2008. |
| Ford Taurus |  |
2010–present | 4-door sedan | Also branded as Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Police Interceptor Sedan. | |
| Ford Freestyle Ford Taurus X |
  |
2005–2007 (Freestyle) 2008-2009 (Taurus X) |
5-door crossover SUV | D219 | Freestyle re-branded as Taurus X in 2008. |
| Mercury Montego Mercury Sable |
  |
2005–2007 2008-2009 |
4-door sedan | D333 | Montego re-branded as Sable in 2008. 2008 Sable was the last new car design introduced by Mercury brand. |
| Lincoln MKS | .JPG) |
2009–2016 | 4-door sedan | D385 | Replaced by 2017 Lincoln Continental
Only Lincoln version of D3 sedan platform. |
| D4-platform vehicles (Ford, Lincoln) | |||||
| Ford Flex |  |
2009–present | 5-door crossover SUV | D471 | Replaced Ford Taurus X. |
| Lincoln MKT |  |
2010–present | 5-door crossover SUV | D472 | Livery version branded as MKT Town Car. |
| Ford Explorer | _%E2%80%93_Frontansicht%2C_10._September_2011%2C_D%C3%BCsseldorf.jpg) |
2011–present | 5-door crossover SUV | U502 | First version of the Explorer built with unibody construction.
Also branded as Ford Police Interceptor Utility. |
Concept cars
- 2005 Mercury Meta One diesel-electric hybrid crossover SUV
- 2008 Explorer America crossover SUV
- 2008 Lincoln MKT luxury crossover SUV
References
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