Ford Says Flex Not Minivan Replacement

[ANTAUS]

LINK-Wardsauto.com

[silvrsvt]

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

So does that mean Ford will do a minivan?

[keoni]

I think they are just trying to keep the minivan stigma from enveloping the Flex.

 

I think they did a good job of that by not offering sliding doors and putting a long hood on the thing. Oh, and the transmission hump that goes through the second row makes you think CUV not minivan.

 

I think Ford is covering their butts by saying it is not a "minivan replacement" in case the media comes back and says "This minivan replacement can't even surpass Sienna sales," or something along those lines.

 

But I do like it and agree that it is NOT a minivan replacement.

[sranger]

All CUVs, including the Flex, are simply "SUV Styled" minivans....period...

[Anthony]

They listened! I said just a week or two ago, they need to distance themselves from the "minivan alternative" moniker that everyone was slapping on the Flex. It is not a minivan alternative, it is a "distinctly styled CUV".

[RichardJensen]

They listened! I said just a week or two ago, they need to distance themselves from the "minivan alternative" moniker that everyone was slapping on the Flex. It is not a minivan alternative, it is a "distinctly styled CUV".

"The French don't care what they do, actually, As long as they pronounce it properly"

[DCK]

I would fully support Ford trying the mini-van again. As long as they try this time and try to be class leading. 4 Minivans on the market sell more than the 100k ford predicts for the Edge and the Fairlane each.

[goblue93]

I would fully support Ford trying the mini-van again. As long as they try this time and try to be class leading. 4 Minivans on the market sell more than the 100k ford predicts for the Edge and the Fairlane each.

 

Agreed. The talk of getting away from minivans reminds me of what was said about the small car market when Ford got out of it. Then they get caught with their pants down and and are late to the party when small cars come back. Don't abandon a market because no one bought your crappy product. Come back with a better product. Diversification is the key. SUVs are declining, do you leave that market too. Oh and what about when everyone said the pony cars were over and all of a sudden the new Mustang is a hit and the Camaro has to come back from the dead. They should have no problem selling 100k minivans a year if they put out a good one.

[bri719]

if they want to sell these in any numbers they have to do a couple of things: shorten the rear end (what happened to all those people always touting that short overhangs = perceived luxury???), and for god's sake don't paint the roof white. it makes it look like a stretch version of a Mini crossed with a Scion xB. and nobody is perceiving near-luxury with any scion micro van.

 

aside from those fixable complaints, I suppose there is a market for a crossover slotted slightly above the Honda Element, and it's a decent people mover though not a true "minivan", that's correct.

[suv_guy_19]

if they want to sell these in any numbers they have to do a couple of things: shorten the rear end (what happened to all those people always touting that short overhangs = perceived luxury???), and for god's sake don't paint the roof white. it makes it look like a stretch version of a Mini crossed with a Scion xB. and nobody is perceiving near-luxury with any scion micro van.

 

aside from those fixable complaints, I suppose there is a market for a crossover slotted slightly above the Honda Element, and it's a decent people mover though not a true "minivan", that's correct.

 

 

The rear cannot be shortened...it had to be long...thats why it moved to d3...the roof can come white if you want or not if you dont.

[kevinb120]

I think they did a good job of that by not offering sliding doors and putting a long hood on the thing. Oh, and the transmission hump that goes through the second row makes you think CUV not minivan.

 

I think Ford is covering their butts by saying it is not a "minivan replacement" in case the media comes back and says "This minivan replacement can't even surpass Sienna sales," or something along those lines.

 

But I do like it and agree that it is NOT a minivan replacement.

 

 

yup

[kevinb120]

The rear cannot be shortened...it had to be long...thats why it moved to d3...the roof can come white if you want or not if you dont.

 

 

Of course it has an overhang, it is meant to be USED by families. I don't think it looks long anyway, it looks properly proportioned. If it didn't have it people would surely bitch there isn't enough storage. Rear overhang doesn't penalize a vehicle that much anyway unlike front overhang, as the area is typically empty storage in normal use. It also makes for a balanced vehicle offsetting front mechanical weight. That area is going to set this apart from all of its contemporary CUV's. I think the roof is to be available only in choice of silver or white. It also emulates another stylish box, the Range Rover. Its closer looking to that then an element.

Edited May 5, 2007 by kevinb120

[J-150]

I think they are just trying to keep the minivan stigma from enveloping the Flex.

 

 

that makes the most sense.