Ford will use the New York Auto Show to take the wraps off a new crossover called the Ford Flex . Designed to replace the company’s now-discontinued minivans, the Flex is closely based on the Fairlane concept (pictured), first shown two years ago.
Various reports indicate Ford is targeting sales of around 100,000 units annually — not replacing the minivan segment singlehandedly, but rather offering consumers another choice aside from the Edge and Taurus X.
The “Flex” badge is proof Ford hasn’t entirely abandoned its obsession with nameplates beginning with the letter “F,” despite going back on its Freestyle and Five Hundred designations in favor of Taurus.
And although we might know the new crossover’s name, its final styling still remains a mystery. Unlike the Fairlane concept, the Flex will almost certainly have regular doors. But the extent of other changes is not known.
In December, Jim Hall, vice president of industry sales at AutoPacific, claimed to have seen the production model, and said 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.”
In January, Ford confirmed it would also build a Lincoln version of the crossover. Executives didn’t provide a timeframe for the Lincoln vehicle, but said it would not be a simple re-badge of the Fairlane, although it will share some “key points” with the Ford version.
