The Ford Explorer and the Mercury Mountaineer are very similar vehicles. What year did the Ford Explorer start being produced?
Ford Explorer The Ford Explorer is a full-size sport utility vehicle produced by the American manufacturer Ford Motor Company since 1990, based since 2010 on a crossover platform. The Ford Explorer became one of the most popular sport utility vehicles on the road. The model years 1991 through 2010 were traditional body-on-frame, mid-size SUVs. For the 2011 model year, Ford moved the Explorer to a more modern unibody, full-size crossover SUV platform, the same Volvo-derived platform the Ford Flex and Ford Taurus use although with significantly greater ground clearance. It is slotted between the traditional body-on-frame, full-size Ford Expedition and the mid-size CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) Ford Edge. Although outwardly similar, the fifth generation Explorer, Ford Edge and Ford Escape do not share platforms. The fifth generation Explorer does, however, share platforms with the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT.
San Jose Assembly Plant The Ford Motor Company San Jose Assembly Plant was the automaker's primary Northern California manufacturing site after World War II from 1955–1983, replacing the Richmond Assembly facility. The plant was located in what is now Milpitas, California, United States. Numerous vehicles were produced at the plant including the Ford Falcon, Ford Maverick and Ford Mustang. It was also the manufacturing location for the West coast of the Ford Fairlane, Ford Torino, Ford Pinto, Ford Escort and the short lived Edsel Ranger and Edsel Pacer. Mercury products such as the Mustang-based Cougar, Montego, Comet, Bobcat, Capri and the Lynx were also assembled there. Ford F-series trucks were produced there, nearly from inception of the plant until its closure in 1983.