Ford Names Production Fairlane

According to various sources, Ford is getting ready to debut its long-awaitedfamily-hauler and the successor to its Freestar minivan at the upcoming New York International Auto Show, but it won’t bear the name we thought it would. Ford’s changed its mind about the heritage-inspired “Fairlane” designation, named after Henry Ford’s Fair Lane estate and one of the most collectible blue-oval cars from the ’50s, which adorned the concept car displayed two years ago. Instead, they’re swapping it out at the last minute for something much more modern and perhaps, for a people-mover, a lot more appropriate. The name they’ve chosen is, “Flex”, a sign that Ford hasn’t completely kicked its habit of starting its vehicles’ names with the letter “F”.

Besides the name swap, a process that was demonstrated most recently with the Five Hundred’s change to Taurus, we’re looking at pretty much the same vehicle as before; a three-row, low-height crossover that’ll cater to active families. There will be a bit of breath-holding with regards to the final product, as Ford says they’re keeping the cards close to their chestbefore the New York debut. One rumor, that the production Flex would receive rear-hinged suicide or “French” doors, has been dispelled; the production car will feature four regular doors; much better in parking lots.

The idea of a larger crossover is pretty simple. Today’s consumers are image conscious. They dread buying minivans for the implications, even though they’re probably better suited to most tasks families require them for. At the same time, the purchase prices, running costs and now taxation of SUVs are putting them out of many consumers’ budgets. The Flex bridges the gap between the two ends of the spectrum, exuding non-minivan styling along with a noticeable lack of sliding side doors. At the same time, Ford hopes that the Flex will present itself as a more upscale way of moving the family around, a feeling that’s absent from mostminivans.

Reportedly, the Flex will be built alongside its smaller crossover sibling, the Edge, and its luxury counterpart, the Lincoln MKX. The key competitors to the Flex would be General Motors’ large crossovers, Saturn’s Outlook, GMC’s Acadia, the soon to be released Buick Enclave, and Chevy’s rumored upcoming version, reported to be named Nomad.

Consumers, dealers and all who work at Ford are very excited at the prospects of the new vehicle, particularly one that is in sync with today’s hottest trends. Ford hopes to attract about 100,000 buyers for the Flex in its first year of production, which besides being great news if accomplished, building positive momentum in Ford’s Way Forward plan, also shows the automaker’s intent to diversify. Switching gears from banking on vehicles like the Explorer and Expedition during the ’90s and early ’00s, Ford’s expansion into a broader portfolio of well-engineered and attractive cars will help it return to profitability.