FORD FLEX!!!!

[mustang_sallad]

It almost certainly uses a thermoelectric Peltier device, not phase-change.

 

 

Hey thanks dude... I just had a test on alternative refrigeration today, but I never came across Peltier devices. That stuff seems pretty cool.

 

As to parasitic losses... A typical full size kitchen fridge would be rated around 800 watts, a bit more than a horsepower. Then again, its not running at 800 watts all the time, and you'll find inside a little sticker that says it consumes say 500kWh/year, which works out to an average of about 50 watts. So, based on the size of this little cooler, I'd guess, if it is a compressor type fridge, its peak power draw will be less than 100 watts, or about 0.125hp, and that would only be a small portion of the time.

 

 

Overall I think this car looks great. I grew up in the back seat of Country Squires and Colony Parks, and my dad is still holding onto his 91 Colony Park.... I think this is the first car built since then that gets anywhere close to the good looks of those wagons.

[BORG]

I've never seen such a wide variety of comparisons, some think it looks like a Scion, others compare it to a 50's station wagon. IMO, it has no clear design lineage and that is one of the reasons I'm very uneasy with such a strange combination of design traits. It appears to have materialized out of nowhere.

[suv_guy_19]

I've never seen such a wide variety of comparisons, some think it looks like a Scion, others compare it to a 50's station wagon. IMO, it has no clear design lineage and that is one of the reasons I'm very uneasy with such a strange combination of design traits. It appears to have materialized out of nowhere.

 

 

It will have many things in common with many vehicles....four wheels...an engine....mirrors...doors....that does not mean it lackes design lineage...it is not my favorite but any people like it by what I see.....a very good thing.

[Anthony]

Looks nice from the pics. Can't wait to see one in person.

[silvrsvt]

I've never seen such a wide variety of comparisons, some think it looks like a Scion, others compare it to a 50's station wagon. IMO, it has no clear design lineage and that is one of the reasons I'm very uneasy with such a strange combination of design traits. It appears to have materialized out of nowhere.

 

 

Uh isn't that a good thing? To do something DIFFERENT? So your not lost with same ole same ole...

[OAC_Sparky]

I've never seen such a wide variety of comparisons, some think it looks like a Scion, others compare it to a 50's station wagon. IMO, it has no clear design lineage and that is one of the reasons I'm very uneasy with such a strange combination of design traits. It appears to have materialized out of nowhere.

I'm sure people said the same thing when Chrysler released the Caravan that nobody had seen before.

 

I feel uneasy when someone so enamored with the late 90's Taurus criticizes a new idea in styling. :shades:

[sranger]

Well,

 

I just do not like the "Box on wheels" look. Even though I can't stand the look, but I believe that it will sale very well as this is the popular fad right now...

 

If the vehicle has some decient performance, handling and braking, it might be a huge hit...

[goingincirclez]

I'm sure people said the same thing when Chrysler released the Caravan that nobody had seen before.

 

I feel uneasy when someone so enamored with the late 90's Taurus criticizes a new idea in styling. :shades:

 

Well now, see, I can actually understand that. The 96-99 Taurus didn't harbor anything resembling a straight line, whereas the Flex is the exact opposite: hardly any curves to be found. It's amazing the cars are little more than a decade removed.

 

It's almost like Ford is trying to make a schizophrenic apology for their infamous "Symphony of Ovals" by giving us the box it might have come in.

[Meelaan]

Uh isn't that a good thing? To do something DIFFERENT? So your not lost with same ole same ole...

 

There's an old and true addage in the world of professional design: If you're creating a design merely to be different, you will fail. Instead, design around a purpose. It harks back to the old form-follows-function philosophy.

 

If we built houses in a way that our sole motivation was to make a "different" house, we'd all end up living in bizarre surrealist nightmares that were unusual simply for the purpose of being ususual. Why not just make a "better" house?

 

The automotive industry is so enveloped by gimmickery more so today than ever before (glowing cup holders, glove box ice chests, fold down hatch radios, built in picnic tables). Why? Because they can and it makes their product DIFFERENT. Well, so what? You ever buy a car solely based on the fact that you could hook a camping tent to the rear hatch?

 

I'd rather have a BETTER vehicle than a DIFFERENT vehicle. And that's where the American automotive industry continues to put their fingers in their ears while sugarcoating the same turd they've been doaling out for the past decade.

[Deanh]

There's an old and true addage in the world of professional design: If you're creating a design merely to be different, you will fail. Instead, design around a purpose. It harks back to the old form-follows-function philosophy.

 

If we built houses in a way that our sole motivation was to make a "different" house, we'd all end up living in bizarre surrealist nightmares that were unusual simply for the purpose of being ususual. Why not just make a "better" house?

 

The automotive industry is so enveloped by gimmickery more so today than ever before (glowing cup holders, glove box ice chests, fold down hatch radios, built in picnic tables). Why? Because they can and it makes their product DIFFERENT. Well, so what? You ever buy a car solely based on the fact that you could hook a camping tent to the rear hatch?

 

I'd rather have a BETTER vehicle than a DIFFERENT vehicle. And that's where the American automotive industry continues to put their fingers in their ears while sugarcoating the same turd they've been doaling out for the past decade.

this vehicle is different only in it's perception of what a Mini van could/ can be...thats it...it is just an alternative take...nothin gimmicky at all...well, maybe the fridge....and I ask....where would YOU be without your cup holders?????? bash all you want...but this WILL cut into Odessey/ Sienna markets....AND appeal to people that WOULDN"T be seen dead in a mini-van.....AND appeal to the crowd that just wants to have something different.....

[Deanh]

Well now, see, I can actually understand that. The 96-99 Taurus didn't harbor anything resembling a straight line, whereas the Flex is the exact opposite: hardly any curves to be found. It's amazing the cars are little more than a decade removed.

 

It's almost like Ford is trying to make a schizophrenic apology for their infamous "Symphony of Ovals" by giving us the box it might have come in.

Classic case of form following function......

[Meelaan]

this vehicle is different only in it's perception of what a Mini van could/ can be...thats it...it is just an alternative take...nothin gimmicky at all...well, maybe the fridge....and I ask....where would YOU be without your cup holders?????? bash all you want...but this WILL cut into Odessey/ Sienna markets....AND appeal to people that WOULDN"T be seen dead in a mini-van.....AND appeal to the crowd that just wants to have something different.....

 

The American public would buy a Toyota Sienna over a Ford Flex any day of the week. Know why? Because it says Toyota on the grill. That's the only motivation someone needs to buy a Toyota minivan. They don't need cutesy ideas like hideaway freezers and mini-jukeboxes.

 

If Ford ever put as much energy into quality control as they do with their ridiculous concept cars, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

[falconman13]

A new car design should be polarizing. If it appeals to everyone, it will be vanilla and will quickly become forgotten.

When the Taurus first came out, it was truly polarizing. You either loved it or hated it. There was no middle ground. It was compared to jelly beans, kidney beans, well, just about every bean there was. And yet, it was hugely popular and suddenly everyone was rushing to design their own bean mobiles.

Ford tried the same old minivan looking minivan that everyone else has. And it wasn't so successful, so lets give them credit for having the balls to try something different once again.

 

You can say it looks like a Scion, and maybe it does a little. But Toyota used the Scion to "test" this design in the US market. They certainly weren't going to design one of their mainstream vehicles so controversially.

[silvrsvt]

The automotive industry is so enveloped by gimmickery more so today than ever before (glowing cup holders, glove box ice chests, fold down hatch radios, built in picnic tables). Why? Because they can and it makes their product DIFFERENT. Well, so what? You ever buy a car solely based on the fact that you could hook a camping tent to the rear hatch?

 

I'd rather have a BETTER vehicle than a DIFFERENT vehicle. And that's where the American automotive industry continues to put their fingers in their ears while sugarcoating the same turd they've been doaling out for the past decade.

 

See that's the problem, People will not consider an American made car over the same type of Japanese car, unless there is some sort of hook...

 

The Flex's hook is that its "different" then everything else on the market, that in itself draws attention to it. You can't bring back Customers by outdoing Japanese by copying the Japanese. They automatically discount the American makes due to experiences they had 15-20 years ago and don't believe it when their Japanese car breaks just the American car they replaced.

[Deanh]

The American public would buy a Toyota Sienna over a Ford Flex any day of the week. Know why? Because it says Toyota on the grill. That's the only motivation someone needs to buy a Toyota minivan. They don't need cutesy ideas like hideaway freezers and mini-jukeboxes.

 

If Ford ever put as much energy into quality control as they do with their ridiculous concept cars, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.

bollocks............in that case the Tundra would be kicking ass.........case closed......SMACKDOWN.......take the sunglasses off with the mirrors on the INSIDE....

Edited April 5, 2007 by Deanh

[Kev-Mo]

The SoCal's are not crazy about it!

 

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Autos...rticleId=120296

 

 

Edmunds was barly lukewarm, appearing to poke fun at Ford's inablility to build a real minivan. Seems like the Ford people like the Flex a lot better than the Edmunds blog - only one positive reply there.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Kev-Mo

[NickF1011]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Autos...rticleId=120296

 

 

Edumunds was barly lukewarm, appearing to poke fun at Ford's inablility to build a real minivan. Seems like the Ford people like the Flex a lot better than the Edumunds blog - only one positive reply there.

 

Keep in mind most of guys posting comments on Edmunds seem to still be in high school.

 

The Flex received a very warm reception on the often brutally honest GMI.

 

I think the Flex will certainly find its market niche. REMEMBER FOLKS -- Ford is only anticipating sales of 80-100K of this vehicle. They aren't trying to reinvent the wheel or create a huge segment buster that will sell hundreds of thousands of vehicles a year. With the 80-100K volume goal in mind, I don't really see this thing failing in any regard.

 

As for your quality control quip, Meelaan, how many recalls have you seen on the Fusion, Edge, Five Hundred, Mustang, Explorer, F-150, Super Duty, Focus, etc since 2004? About as many as Honda has had on their new Civic alone. That's how many. The quality control has improved VASTLY in recent years. If you haven't noticed, you haven't been paying attention.

[sranger]

I think the Flex will sell well. The "box on wheels" is the current fad right now. The only potential problem is if this fad wears off in the next two years before the Flex hits the dealerships...

 

 

After all, it is the best looking Scion Element that I have seen so far....

Edited April 5, 2007 by sranger

[Hugh]

I would like to see a base model without the two-tone. I wonder how that'll look.

[Embalmers]

I believe I am the market demographic for this vehicle, and I really like it. We have an 03 Windstar and 3 kids under the age of 8, so the van does it's job. But, as was the case in the late nineties/early 00's, Ford didn't update their product enough to be competitive. Took us forever to get the drivers side sliding door, then we never did get the folding center seats. Minivan's are all about packaging, and the Windstar was below average in that regard.

 

I like the Flex styling, dads who hate driving minivans won't have a problem driving this car. The motor/trans combo is a winner, and the folding seats/interior layout is fantastic. I just hope they can keep the cost within my reach, otherwise I'll have to rely on year end incentives to meet the budget. Keep it up Ford!!!

[triton-boy]

remember the 64 mustang it hit america,then the 84 chryco mini-van it hit america,i think this flex will hit america too....its just got that sweet spot.i think ford finally has hit........and its a home run...this should sell well...

[calypsocoral]

My only complaint is that I can't have one now!

 

My only complaint is that I'll never be able to get one with that nice 4.4L V8...

 

That would have placed Ford faaaarrrrrr ahead of the pack!

 

As-is, though, it definitely looks like a potential hit!

[whereswaldo]

That is our next new vehicle !!!

 

Does anyone know how much this monster is going to way ?? And a 265 hp V-6 to boot ? Can you say 16 City/20 Highway ?

[igor]

Does anyone know how much this monster is going to way ?? And a 265 hp V-6 to boot ? Can you say 16 City/20 Highway ?

Fields said 23mpg

 

we shall see whether they manage

(oh and keep in mind he is probably talking 2008 metrics .. not 2007.. the Lambdas get 24mpg under the 2008 metrics)

 

Igor

[Blueblood]

After looking at more pics of the interior I'm more impressed everytime, I swear if you were to show the interior pics to somebody who hadn't seen it yet they would think it was something out of a high end luxury car costing 70k+. The attention to detail is really good, now if Ford puts this much effort into all their future cars and trucks they will be doing good. The 2008 Focus interior is world's ahead of the current car, it's just the exterior styling that's a bomb.

 

Now there are a few things about the exterior I really like, and a few things I really don't like or understand. They finally got the 3 bar grill right, along with the Ford emblem, hopefully this is the actual production grill and not just a showpiece. The view directly from the front looks best (pic below), it looks killer from that angle. HID headlights and LED taillights, it's about time, they both look great, the detail around the HID's is really cool. The doors with the side skirts built into them are nice as well, along with the indents on the doors, surprised that made it to production. The two tone paint is nice too, I've always liked old cars with two tone paint jobs, I'm anxious to see it in other color schemes.

 

Now onto what I don't like... I do not understand the gigantic ugly 1970 looking amber reflectors built into the headlights, they wrap around too much, and are just way too large a square, they look totally out of place with the cool looking HID's. And what's with the huge bulging front bumper?? And why does it stick out past the lower valance? It looks goofy from the side.. Too much front overhang.. And the outer shape of the tailight lens, it's nothing but a big square, no style, no thought into it at all.

 

 

Overall I think it's the best all-around effort Ford has made in a long long time, I don't think the little things I dis-like about it will turn anyone away (hopefully the name doesn't). I don't see why this thing won't sell over 150k it's first year. What I don't understand, is why this thing which is nothing but a Freestyle under the skin, will take another 1.25 years to hit the showroom? It should be out no later than this summer, 1.25 years is a LONG time, I hope it hasn't lost it's buzz by then.. :shrug:

 

Edited April 6, 2007 by Blueblood