Before the Ford Explorer line of SUVs was a police vehicle first and a civilian variant a distant second, Ford was aiming for a completely different approach. Though its roots were simplistic as could be, Ford's plan was to top out the Explorer range with a Limited Edition luxurious package using a renowned American outdoor clothing brand as its basis.
Founded in 1920 in Seattle, Washington, Eddie Bauer Specializes in high-end outdoor apparel in line with its distinctly pacific-northwest-inspired design language. Something that fit the target audience of a big family 4x4 the, like what the very first Ford Explorer turned out to be. The first modern family SUV was a game-changer for American car buyers, and the Eddie Bauer edition was to be its first Special Edition.
In the simplest terms, the original Eddie Bauer Edition Ford Explorer based on the UN46 platform was a cosmetical trim package exclusive to the high-end XLT model. It's often told apart from its standard XLT Cousin by the black plastic grille insert upfront and by the Eddie Bauer logo branding.
Admittedly, some Eddie Bauer Explorers of this time period had their front grilles offered in chrome instead, but the outside badging underneath the Explorer name is almost always a prominent feature. Available in a two-door or four-door model derived from the Mazda Navajo, the Eddie Bauer Edition was among the ranks of the Navajo when it earned Motor Trend's Truck of the Year Award in 1991, along with the Explorer by extension. It was the first time in history when it was awarded to an SUV.
Also exclusive to this early edition Eddie Bauer Explorers was a two-tone exterior paint job that forms the second biggest indicator the specimen in question is the Eddie Bauer special edition. All other XLT models sported singular base colors in other cases. All Explorers from this period feature a four-liter Ford Cologne V6 engine. As for axle sizes, Ford used 8.8-inch axles in either a rear limited-slip differential or an open version in these early Explorers, albeit in multiple different ratios.
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Four-wheel-drive front axles were given the TTB ("Twin Traction Beam") Dana 35 treatment, including Dana 44-spec components. 4x2 models used an altogether different Twin I-Beam shared with the Ranger light pickup. Though not exactly a technological marvel, the first-gen Eddie Bauer Edition Explorer served well as the flagship model of a vehicle that changed America forever.
The second-generation Explorer had quite a bit in common with the first underneath an entirely new body, including the same V6 as before, albeit in an overhead-valve incarnation. This powertrain would go into the second generation Explorer Eddie Bauer Edition and do so while jetting 210 horsepower. After the 2000 model year, the engine would change to the more advanced Ford Triton series of V8s.
Surprisingly, a perked-up Cologne V6 made only five horsepower less than the equivalent Triton V8. If nothing else, it shows just how anemic American V8s tended to be, especially during the 2000s. As for the Eddie Bauer Special Edition, it serves the same function as it did in the years prior.
That being, an options maxed-out trim package exclusive to XLT Explorers equipped with the four-speed 4R55E automatic and later five-speed 5R55E on models made after 1996. New for the Second Generation Explorer Eddie Bauer is a premium tan-leather interior, integrated CD autochanger, a full-sized sunroof, and fancy self-leveling air ride suspension also preset in Lincolns of the same period.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (fair use)
Moving further into the late 2000s and we find the Eddie Bauer trim package available once again starting in 2002, present in what was likely the Explorer's most globally recognized form. That is unless you count its current reputation as a police patrol car that civilians are also allowed to buy. The third generation U152 Explorer was also used regularly in police service, although nowhere near as prolifically as later editions.
If anything, it's the Eddie Bauer Edition of the third-gen Explorer that routinely comes to mind as one of the most interesting launches in the history of the famous Explorer line. With a 4.6 liter modular V8 in tow, this generation Eddie Bauer Explore features a more subtle two-tone paint arrangement than what it came with two generations prior. These Special Edition sports features were usually reserved for Lincoln vehicles. Including power actuated stepping boards.
Ultimately, the Eddie Bauer Explorer provided quite a memorable range-topper in the fleet valiantly for nearly 20 years. It's a reminder that the world's most important vehicles are often supported by examples that differ from the norm. With this SUV, Ford practically wrote the book on the matter.
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