Outdoorsy versions of SUVs are hotter than ever right now, though they're all focused on roughly the same thing: general off-road capability. It's understandable, since that kind of SUV is likely to attract active folks from all walks of life, whether they're into hiking, biking, or simply liking the idea of being active. A quarter-century ago, though, Ford experimented with the idea of a particularly focused variation of the Explorer called the Sportsman. The demographic Ford was targeting? Fishermen. Also, while Ford never put it into production, the concept made it to the public, and it's up for sale.Ford It Doesn't Look Like It, But It's All About Fishing The Explorer Sportsman doesn't look especially like it's targeting any specific sport. It could easily be mistaken for just a look at a future generation of Explorer. Of course, the third-generation Explorer would go on sale just a couple of months after the Sportsman made its debut at the 2001 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. So the Sportsman was really its own thing, far more modern looking than the outgoing model, but not sharing any design with the new model.Bring A TrailerIts crisp creases and somewhat slab panels are reminiscent of Fords that would show up a few years later, though, such as the first-generation Ford Fusion sedan. It further featured a woodsy green paint scheme, custom 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in equally custom tires. The rear bumper seems to show part of a full-size spare behind it, though we suspect that's just a suggestion based on another feature we'll talk about soon. The roof rack also has beautiful Australian Bloodwood slats, and they're echoed by additional Bloodwood trim inside. However, none of these screams "fishing."Bring A TrailerYou wouldn't have to dig deep, though, to start finding hidden features for the fishing task. Let's start with the power running boards, which according to the auction site selling it, Bring A Trailer, are currently non-functioning. In addition to aiding ingress and egress, they also doubled as storage for fishing rods. The roof rack also had some nifty features to slide part of down either side of the vehicle to more easily strap cargo to it. According to the press release, there was even a configuration that created some sort of basket that could hang off the vehicle.Bring A TrailerThe cabin had even more fishing accoutrements. The seatbacks had removable work tables, though they've sadly disappeared over the last 25 years. More impressive, though, is the 30-gallon live tank for the ones that didn't get away. It's hidden under the rear cargo floor, which is also why we don't think there's actually a full-size spare under the floor. Besides the other wood accents, the interior is finished with woven leather on the seats and door panels, and plenty of real aluminum adorns handles and the center console. A small LCD instrument cluster sat in front of the driver, though it wasn't actually functional, and the center screen was for the navigation system.Bring A Trailer It's A Mechanical Mystery Ford's press release for the Explorer Sportsman didn't give detailed information about the concept's running gear, though it referenced the third-generation Explorer quite a bit. It would be easy to assume that, if Ford made this a running concept, it would use that new model's chassis and powertrain. That's not the case, though. It is a driving vehicle, but photos from the Bring A Trailer listing reveal that it didn't have recent components. Rather than the third-generation Explorer's new frame with independent rear suspension, the Sportsman still has a live rear axle. It's suspended with coil springs, trailing arms and a Panhard rod. The front suspension is independent, though.FordThe powertrain is even stranger. It has a Mazda four-cylinder, one that Bring A Trailer lists as being a 2.5-liter engine. We have no idea why Ford would have used this engine. Both second- and third-generation Explorers would've had a Ford V6 as the base engine, with a V8 as an option, and we don't think there would've been too much issue fitting them under the Sportsman's hood.If space was the issue, though, we don't know why Ford wouldn't have used the four-cylinder from the Ranger, which was an actual Ford engine, though one that dated back to the Pinto. The automaker could have even used the Duratec double-overhead-cam four-cylinder that would appear later. Whatever the reason, Ford also paired this Mazda engine with a four-speed automatic and an actual, functional part-time four-wheel-drive system.Despite having a fully-functional drivetrain, don't get any ideas about buying this and daily-driving it. Aside from likely having a loose and creaky body with fragile, irreplaceable panels, there are bureaucratic roadblocks to putting it on the road. It only comes with a bill of sale, and if that's not enough, it lacks a VIN, so it's practically impossible to register. Ford even put a plate on it specifically stating that it cannot be registered and used on public roads. However, if you're fine with having a one-of-a-kind concept that's easier to move around than most, it's still available on Bring A Trailer for a little less than a day. At the time of writing, the bid is $13,500.
