SPY PICS: Mystery Ford fastback SUV spotted in Germany

The industrial alliance between Ford and Volkswagen is proving a fruitful one so far, with the German car-maker scoring a ready-made new-generation ute and the US car-maker set to leverage a bespoke EV architecture and running gear.

The new VW Amarok has now joined the closely-related Ford Ranger on sale, but the collaboration between the European and North American auto heavyweights around the former’s dedicated-electric MEB platform has so far only yielded one Blue Oval product – the 2024 Ford Explorer EV, though there are plenty more on the way and our Euro spy shooters have spotted one.

There’s a reasonable chance this vehicle, which appears to be roughly the size of the Explorer EV, is Ford’s version of the fastback-styled Volkswagen ID.5 mid-size SUV and therefore the sleeker sibling of the aforementioned wagon that debuted officially in March.

The Ford Explorer is under consideration for Australia and both the VW ID.5 and the wagon on which it’s based, the VW ID.4, will finally go on sale Down Under next year.

However, our photographer said the car pictured here looks bigger than the ID.5 in the metal, and suggested it could be Ford’s taller and more coupe-like take on the China-only VW ID.6 seven-seat electric SUV.

Either way, it’s clear the new model will lean into its SUV identity a lot more than the established Mustang Mach-E fastback crossover, which would serve as the key point of difference in its positioning, in addition to its different architecture – similar to the Kia EV5 and EV6 relationship.

The mystery model still sports a sloping roofline and tapered tailgate, but it rides considerable higher and doesn’t rock the same long-bonnet, cab-backward silhouette of the American-developed Mustang spin-off, instead being squarer and far more blocky overall.

Through the camouflage we can see the prototype has nothing in common with the Explorer EV in terms of its front fascia and headlights, fulfilling a promise of European Ford executives regarding the Explorer SUV and its eventual sibling being different beasts cut from the sale cloth.

Details are thin on the ground for now, save for our knowledge of the car’s MEB underpinnings, but some educated guesswork based on what we know about the Explorer and ID.4/ID.5 suggests it will come with single- and dual-motor powertrains, an effective range north of 540km and up to 250kW of peak power.

Given this is the first time we’ve seen this particular vehicle testing, it’s unlikely its global launch will happen any time soon. But we wouldn’t rule out a reveal campaign in the second half of next year – starting with the SUV’s design and key features, as per the new Explorer EV earlier this year.

Image source: Automedia

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