More junk for Ford. Good luck trying to build a Lambda wannabe, but it takes more than size to compete. It also takes quality, reliability, style and performance, something of which Ford lacks.

Another failure. Save the money and put it towards a nicer casket.

Another SUV.
Looks like a smaller version of the Expedition. As far as the styling, it looks like Ford, like Dodge, is moving back in time with it’s more “conservative” design while other manufacturers are moving foward. Although that doesn’t apply to the Edge, which looks as if it came from Ford Europe.

What will be the difference between this and the Edge? in size and price? How will this draw a different customer ? Ford seems to be splitting hairs pretty thin. With this the Escape, Edge, Explorer, and Freestyle how many different wagon / suvs in the 25> 35K range do they need to cover the market?

hahaha if its anything like a freestyle ford is screwed

No dear God…no. Not another abyss vehicle.

They need to get the designers out of the basement and into the real world… BORING! BORING! BORING!

Do they really think this is going to help them? i don’t feel sorry for them , they are just asking for the rumpsi.

F451,
It’s like, just when you though it couldn’t get worse, it does…over and over and over again. I wonder if Ford CEO Alan Mulally can be impeached for letting stuff like this happen.

Doesn’t anyone realize it is a mule and they are only testing the front end for flow purposes, on which is obvioulsy a Freestyle, I mean the badge on the back kind of gives it away, you know the one that says FREESTYLE, jesus is every one here 6?

Ok, I’m usually nice to Ford, but this is absolute crap. It looks almost exactly like a Freestyle, everyone knows what is going to happen. Goodbye!!!

Mulally hasn’t been there long enough to make that kind of difference, and this project had a whole bunch of momentum before he got there.

I loved the Fairlane concept but it looks like the production model’s going to get all the distinctiveness sucked out of it and end up another rental-lot queen.

I was excited about the Edge too until I saw the production vehicle. Heavy, slow, dull, cheap-looking, benchmarked to beat the 1998 Nissan Xterra.

It’s not like anyone is murdering Ford… the company is committing suicide.

IT IS A FREESTYLE. With a Fairlane fornt end for testing.

This is a mule, which means they are putting components on existing cars to test things like engines/transmission combos, suspension combos and air intake/cooling, etc. The final result will not look anything like a Freestyle. That rear-end is not part of the real Fairlane that will debut next year. I will note that most people thought that the Focus was going to be the current car with 3 bars, but it turned out to be a much more substantial (if not completely impressive) makeover. This is a similar thing. So dumb.

jonnycat — lol I know what you’re going through. Yes, I think some of these people may in fact be retarded.

Yes, this is just a TEST MULE based on the FREESTYLE. Hence, the name Freestyle on the back. And they’re discontinuing the Freestyle anyway, last I heard. But seriously, how the hell are you guys critisizing this already? You haven’t even seen the car yet. The bias against Ford on this forum is overwhelmingly obvious. GROW UP PEOPLE.

This is a riot! You guys are supposed to be car enthusiasts. You see test mule photos all the time. Yet so many of you are going off half-****ed complaining it “looks like a Freestyle”, “boring”, “ugly”, “rental-lot queen”, etc. If you’re drawing any conclusions about the Fairlane from these photos, please just STOP IT! it’s embarassing.

Re-read jonnycat you dorks… Jeez’

My eyes normally glaze over when we talk about SUVs and the distinctions/market segments between them and crossovers, and wagons. But I am wondering what point this car serves? Ford already has the Escape, Explorer, and Expedition. The Edge is the crossover. Is this the replacement minivan?

yes, this is the replacement minivan

Since they may not have a full body-in-white built up, the nose stampings are generally tooled first and are usually tested on a mule for cooling/engine compartment air flow management issues.

Looks like the concept so far…

*snooze*

Escape is small size, Edge/Explorer is medium size and Expedition is huge. (like the 3 bears)

Escape is small sized/5 passenger/crossover.

Edge is medium sized/5 passenger crossover.

Explorer/Expedition are Trucks.

Fairlane will be larger 7/8 passenger crossover. As far as most are concerned it will replace the minivan but will not have sliding side doors. Competition for Lamdas/CX-9.

You clueless bloggers are retarded for thinking that the fairlane looks like the Freestyle. Wow!!! LEARN HOW TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE BEFORE JUMPING IN!!!!!

I didnt read the article, but as soon as i saw the pic, i knew it was for the front end testing purpose only.

Looks almost promising. Little hard to tell. I’ll wait for better pics with less camo.

And the Ford/D3 haters are out again, proving that dumb isn’t REALLY dumb ’til it’s expressed in public!

A grafted nose for cooling testing is going to look ungainly, and there’s no saying how different the eventual version will be. The fact that the bodywork doesn’t really match at ALL should have screamed “test mule” and not “finished product”…to anyone with sense.

I’ll never understand the point of being a hater, or why the D3 cars (Five Hundred, Montego, Freestyle) get so much (usually mispelled) flack. If a big, roomy, safe, comfortable, and high-quality car (all this is proven, by the way) doesn’t work for you…go buy a ricer with a Folgers can muffler or something.

the concept is sharp and edgy the real deal looks like a bloated wagon (oh wait it is)

Perhaps they’re just testing and extended and widened wheelbase with a mostly Freestyle skin (It may look nothing like this come production). While I’d love it if Ford proved us all wrong, I’m confident they’ll throw us another yawn-mobile.

I will only post this…Read the article, morons, this is a mule vehicle.

p.s. if you don’t know what that means, stay off the blog.

Wow…most of you are morons…This is a TEST MULE…The fairlane will look nothing like that….Its almost pointless for leftlane to even post this because idiots like you run away with it thinking its the actual vehicle….What is this Amateur hour!!!!!

Oh and to those people that say what is the difference between this and an edge or explorer….well first off it will seat 8 people…and it will be more like a minivan replacement than an suv….Its what Ford refers to as a “people mover” and it will be different because no one else will have anything like it…I’ve seen pictures of the production interior and it looks reallllly nice…and also Lincoln will have a version of it but not a badge engineered version a whole different loooking vehicle

Good lord. how did they turn such a good looking concept into that atrocity? I really hope its just an early mule, not a prototype or anything close. Cuz I like the concept.

The last thing we need is a bigger freestyle.

Wow.. I can’t Believe what I’m reading here. I will be the last person to ever buy a Ford, but really, is such blind hate warranted. I may not like Ford or any of its cars, but clearly it is far too early to pass judgement on the fairlane yet. Whats even more amusing is how many of you seem to leave comments without reading what has already been said, not that I read all the comments but I like to skim through them just so I’m not making an ass of myself. Any how I await the production car so that I may make a more informed critque of the fairlane.

I fear for the future of our civilization with the morons on this site.

I’m gonna bet that morons here are like 14 years old troublemaker boys who only like to look at pics and too lazy to read!!!

They are the Hustler readers. Who can blame them for not reading anything in Hustler, but to look at juggs and whatnot??? Thats why they post the most moronic comments ever on here thinking it’d look like the Freestyle!!!!!

@Zanary

I agree with you about this being a “mule”. Its a little too early to freak out about the looks. Like I said, I really like the concept and hope they get close to it.

But as far as criticism of the Montego/500/ and Freestyle is concerned, I think Ford deserves every bit of it!!! Yeah they’re functional cars, but they lack any type of personality or style or passion. Which is what grabs people in the first place. Ford doesnt have the great reliabilty rep that the Japanese do, so they cant just make functional cars, they need style. And me being the ford fan that I am (mustang owner) dont want to see Ford keep making crap like that and going under and taking my beloved mustang down with it. You cant seriously tell me that the Freestyle and 500 are generating any type of excitement in the industry. And obviously more people agree with me because ford just posted its worst financial loss in its history.

what a disappointment

I think Ford will be fine with the Fairlane. I wonder it will open up a new market like they’re hoping. It would be nice if the just switched the doors on the concept and release it from there.
I think the Five hundred is an underrated. To me, it reminds me of a Passat and somewhat has the look of a Lexus LS430. Even with the 3.0 in the Five Hundred/Montego, it still out accelerates Mopar’s 3.5 in the Charger/300/Magnum in 0-60. The Five Hundred is in a different class than those cars. The Five Hundred has more room, you can see out of the windows, more headroom and the fact that you don’t have to stop way behind a stoplight to see when the thing changes from red to green.

zzzzzzzz

to freakin’ funny…only a few get it.

Umm, That would be the redesigned 2008 Ford Freestyle that is coming out this year with the 3 bar grill and 3.5L V6 and 6 speed auto. A mess up and miss label on LLN’s part. Don’t get your panties all in a wad people. I HAVE seen the new Fairlane in the flesh, and it is awesome!

It even says Freestyle on the tailgate of one of the pics!

It’ll probably do well competing with the Pilot and Highlander. Everyone knows, most buyers will be going for the new Lambda utes so leave the Fairlane to pick up the scraps.

you know why they call them suicide doors…right?

Ford Windstar or Freestar? How about Pornstar?

Can’t say much since it’s a test mule after all. But I hope it won’t look *anything* like the Freestyle. G-d I hate station wagons.