In 2007, Ford released the third generation of the then 10-year-old Expedition, a truck-based “station wagon” – now commonly called an SUV – which had been developed to replace the off-road 2-door Bronco. Using the successful F-150 platform with some suspension changes, Ford created a reliable and versatile platform to satisfy the growing demand for “family haulers” as well as carving out a prominent position in public safety roles. The Expedition is considered to be one of the most durable SUVs, with more than 5% still on the road after 200,000 miles! The introduction of a new ladder-frame design with a slightly more rigid chassis and improved suspension in the 2007 Expedition provided buyers with more off-road “sport” capability. Together with the new EL extended wheelbase, the third-generation upgrades also made the Expedition a great platform for public service, and “Special Service Vehicle” configurations became very popular with police, fire, and medical services. The Atlas model of this popular SUV faithfully reproduces the styling and features of the Expedition EL, with 17” and 20” wheel variations, public safety features as appropriate (such as over-riders, light bars, spotlights, etc.) and prototypical paint and configurations for emergency services or just driving around town.

