does anyone have specific knowledge about '21 Explorers? (tow package)

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Tell me more about what you ordered. 
Bill

It did seem strange to me that this came off the truck from the factory on 11/29, but it is a 2021 model year.

It's been sitting in a storage lot since it was built waiting for the chips to finish the control boxes. Ford had so many vehicles backed up they were shipping them to dealers non-running to clear up space to keep people working.
One thing I forgot to mention earlier. You'll want a load leveling hitch with the Explorer for anything over 3,000 lbs. I use one with the Flex but not with the Excuraion.

[mark p]

It did seem strange to me that this came off the truck from the factory on 11/29, but it is a 2021 model year.

It's been sitting in a storage lot since it was built waiting for the chips to finish the control boxes. Ford had so many vehicles backed up they were shipping them to dealers non-running to clear up space to keep people working.
One thing I forgot to mention earlier. You'll want a load leveling hitch with the Explorer for anything over 3,000 lbs. I use one with the Flex but not with the Excursion.

That's what I suspected from news and magazine articles... as there was a '22 Explorer "Timberline" not 50 ft from mine being delivered at Holman the same day. I tried to get the sales guy to tell me when mine was actually made... but that info appears to be beyond his purview 

I have used a weight-distributing hitch set-up on the Astro and Safari that we previously had... will absolutely use with this one as well, thanks for that note.

[5566]

+1 on everything you said.  Very few dealer trades if any, towing packages hard to get due to the chips they require, and if you get a vehicle that you didn't order, there's a good chance it was intended for someone else.  It's possible it was built without certain modules due to the chip shortage and stored until parts became available.  However, shipping takes longer than it used to as well due to the on-going rail car shortage (built to ship three levels of sedans, but now used for two levels of SUVs/CUVs) and the more recent trucker shortage. Assuming it came from assembly in Chicago to the Twin Oaks depot near Phila., it could easily have been built in September/October, if not before.  Your salesman should have access to the built date.