Ford Explorer ST Gets a Factory-Built Sinister Package
Ford Explorer ST Sinister Package adds a darker factory look to the performance SUV, inspired by the enthusiast community that has long modified the model.
Ford is giving the Explorer ST a darker, more aggressive factory appearance package inspired by the owners who have helped turn the three-row SUV into an enthusiast model.
The new 2027 Ford Explorer ST Sinister Package was created as a response to the aftermarket community around the Explorer ST. For years, owners have been adding black trim, dark wheels and custom details to make their SUVs look more personal. Ford is now bringing that same attitude directly to the assembly line.
The Sinister Package gives the Explorer ST a blacked-out exterior treatment, including dark-accented ST badging, amber running lights and large 21-inch gloss-black wheels. The goal is to make the SUV look more aggressive without moving away from the factory-original character of the ST.
Mechanically, the Explorer ST remains focused on performance within a family-SUV package. It uses a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 producing 385 hp, paired with a sport-tuned suspension.
Ford is also bringing back the Explorer ST Experience. Buyers of a new 2026 or 2027 Explorer ST will receive an invitation to a one-day professional driving school, designed to show owners how to use the SUV’s performance capability properly. The program is scheduled to begin in fall 2026 and will travel across the United States.
The community connection is a major part of the Sinister Package story. Ford highlights Explorer ST owners who have built their own versions of the SUV, including Tyler Clark, a Ford Ambassador and long-time ST enthusiast. His personal Explorer ST project reflects the kind of owner-driven customization that helped inspire the package.
For Ford, the Sinister Package is more than a simple styling option. It shows how the Explorer ST has become something unusual in the three-row SUV class: a family vehicle with a genuine performance identity and an active enthusiast following.
The package gives buyers a way to get that modified look straight from Ford, while keeping the warranty, factory finish and official ST branding intact.
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