The production version of the Ford Fairlane minivan replacement won’t arrive at the Detroit auto show in January, despite a strong consensus in the industry that it would. According to the Detroit Free Press, the crossover/van/people-mover will instead debut at a later date.
Ford insists it never planned to show the vehicle at the show. “We have had a plan for some time and that plan has not changed,” said Ford spokeswoman Sara Tatchio.
The production version of the Fairlane will get a new name, but is expected to otherwise be quite similar to the 2005 concept. Oddly, Jim Hall, vice president of industry sales at AutoPacific, claims to have seen the production model, and says it is notably different from the concept. “If you thought the concept was boxy, the production version won’t be,” he said. However, Ford design chief J Mays recently stated it “looks almost exactly the same.” Stay tuned — just don’t expect anything in Detroit!
12/06, 4:31 PM
posted by:
bacalao
well its is one hell of an uly car so thats good.
12/06, 5:10 PM
posted by:
Brendino
In the Bold Moves “pitching the fairlane concept” episode, you could see some shots of what it would look like.
they took out the suicide doors
12/06, 5:23 PM
posted by:
Robert
The suicide doors were the best part. It’s too bad…
12/06, 6:14 PM
posted by:
gumby
I sure hope the design changes, ford has been coming up with some terrible future designs
12/06, 6:42 PM
posted by:
MyGodBeatsYourGod
That white roof helps it to look like the bastard child of an Explorer and the new Mini…
12/06, 6:58 PM
posted by:
adam713
Let’s see….take one of their most sucessful cars ever made and make it an ugly SUV……um….yeah….Fix it.
12/06, 10:02 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Uhm…sorry Ford, but this is one ugly car.
12/06, 11:32 PM
posted by:
autonutt
Does the production version actually exist? You’d think if it was ready enough to show in Detroit or New York we would have seen something about it, or at least have heard the new name.. another example of Ford vacillating back and forth, taking extra time to contemplate.. then making the worst decision possible!
12/07, 1:40 PM
posted by:
MINIyegor
Ford is trying to kill Range Rover!
12/08, 1:59 AM
posted by:
WonbyOne
deantj, bet you cant wait to move out of mom and dads so you can drop ‘f-bombs’ all the time, not just on LLN.
sheesh.