American tuning company Steeda Autosports continues to push the Ford Explorer ST further, unveiling a new modification that swaps in the braking system from the Mustang Shelby GT350R. For this family-oriented crossover, it's a step toward true sports car territory.

In stock form, the Explorer ST requires about 33.2 meters to stop from 96 km/h. Before the upgrade, Steeda's own tests recorded a stopping distance of 31.7 meters. After installing the Shelby's discs and calipers, the average braking distance dropped to just 29 meters. That's a nearly three-meter improvement for a heavy SUV—a noticeable gain. The new discs are roughly 10% larger in diameter than the stock units, yet they add only about 0.34 kg in weight.

The components come in Race Red, which gives the crossover a bolder look and underscores its performance ambitions. This project builds on Steeda's ongoing tuning program for the Explorer ST, which follows earlier work with the Fully Networked Vehicle system.

Engineers have shown that components from Ford's sports models can be integrated without major structural changes. Projects like this highlight how versatile the brand's modern platform has become. Even a family SUV, with the right tweaks, can approach sports-car levels of performance—at least when it comes to braking.