The 2027 Ford Explorer ST Sinister Package will add a blacked-out appearance to Ford’s performance Explorer model. The Explorer ST already is the model that comes closest to the Police Interceptor. It has a performance-tuned engine to get the most out of its 3.0L Ecoboost V-6. According to Ford, it has 385 horsepower and 415 lb.-ft. of torque. Up until the Explorer Tremor off-roading trim debuted, the ST was the most expensive model of Explorer offered.
The Explorer ST never positioned itself as a family hauler. For the past several years, the Explorer ST has created its own “secret society” of people who love horsepower while their vehicle is disguised as a normal SUV. It was a performance vehicle that happened to have three rows. My stepdaughter has one and her husband loves driving it. Her 19-yr-old would love to get his hands on it. For many, the ST becomes an extension of their identity.
The 2027 Ford Explorer ST Sinister Package
The new, optional Sinister package will come straight from the factory with a blacked-out, aggressive appearance featuring dark-accented ST badging, amber glowing running lights, and massive 21-inch gloss-black wheels.
The 2027 ST is built to surprise onlookers who think it is the average family SUV. The ST has a sport-tuned suspension and twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 delivering 385 horsepower, the Explorer ST provides sports-car acceleration and handling in a family-sized package. It reminds me a great deal of the old SHO performance package offered years ago for the Ford Taurus sedan. The SHO stood for Super High Output. The old models are cult classics because they were sleeper cars. They looked average until they blew past other cars.
Ford ST Experience Returns
Ford is bringing back its popular driving experience to help drivers get the most out of the Explorer ST’s capability. Anyone who buys a new 2026 or 2027 Explorer ST will receive an exclusive invitation to a one-day professional driving school called the Ford ST Experience. Launching in the fall of 2026, this tour is traveling across the country to teach drivers how to handle the power of the ST exactly the way the engineers intended. Ford has a similar driving experience for Raptor owners.
Ford is Also Encouraging Buyers to Customize their New Explorer STs with After Market Parts
The design team in Dearborn looked at what owners were doing to their Explorers in the real world and that’s where they got the basics of the Sinister package. It adds the over-sized gloss-black wheels, blacked-out trim, dark accents, different badging and other subtle changes that make the Explorer ST feel personal. Now, those upgrades will be available straight from the factory. One of the things about the custom packages is that they are backed by Ford’s warranty. Also, it is great for people who like to customize their vehicles because they can build the cost of the upgrades into their auto loan. Most times, if a person is adding after-market parts or other upgrades, they have to pay for them in full at the time they are purchased. Tires and different sized wheels can be incredibly expensive. It is much easier to spread those costs over a four-year loan. Despite the dark accents, the Explorer does not have a "street" version like the Lobo packages.
An Explorer ST driver named Tyler Clark is impressed with the new Sinister trim package. Clark has become known in the ST community for customizing his ST. Clark says, “For me, that connection is incredibly meaningful. As a digital creator and community voice, I’ve spent years sharing my Explorer and hearing from owners who say my content inspired their own builds. Knowing those conversations helped influence a factory package in Dearborn is proof that our community is truly part of the process.”
Image by Ford
About the Author
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin. Follow Mary at @MaryConwayMedia on X and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.
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