13 Apr 07 15:25
Ford Flex
Ford has had to completely rethink its minivan (MPV) policy in the US, seeing sales of its Freestar tail off as family buyers move more towards trendier SUVs and crossovers. The Flex, to go on sale in summer 2008, looks much more like a crossover, or even a Land Rover, with its angular body and upright slatted grille; it's clearly descended from the Fairlane concept car (Detroit 2005) but like the Range Rover, has a 'floating roof' effect, thanks to its black door pillars and tinted side windows. The roof can be body-coloured, or painted white or silver to contrast.
The seven-seater Flex is based on the Five Hundred saloon platform, and the NY show car is fitted with a 260bhp-plus 3.5 V6 and six-speed automatic gearbox; four-wheel-drive will be optional and there will be a high level of safety kit, including full-length side and curtain airbags, stability control and optional reversing cameras plus footrests for rear passengers and folding/tumbling rear seats. To pull in the 'lifestyle' crowd, though, its got the options of rear-seat DVD screens, multi-coloured LED ambient lighting, a refrigerator, multi-panel glass sunroofs, a 2300-song hard-drive music player, the Ford Sync entertainment/info system and two-tone paintwork. Buyers can choose 18- or 19-inch wheels, but no doubt the Flex will be fully-blinged-up with even larger aftermarket options.
The Flex is clearly developed with the US market in mind, but its possible a few will make it over to Europe for buyers after something a little larger, and more eye-catching, than the Galaxy.
