I could be mistaken, but I believe there was a notice several years ago regarding dealers being able to assign retail priority codes below "10" as part of an updated/revised retail order process. At a minimum, the Dealer needs to review the commodity restraints specific to the order. It's then a simple process of contacting the Regional Office to have the order reprioritized. It's not unusual for Ford to make exceptions to commodity restraints. 

10-4. Mitsubishi Outlander school of design. If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.

Looks like the Windstar from hell.

Correct, that would be the expectation for doing all of this. They need to because about $5 billion is being spent on UEV and Louisville.

Maybe like a case of getting the sedan and crossover out at a lower cost, seeing how well they do, and if they sell well, justifying moving the coupe, crossover, and sedan to a shared platform at some point in the future. 

Klassen has a Vito/V-Class conversion that comes close to being a MaybachVan:  

Well they did rebadge the Dodge (RAM?) Sprinter as a Freightliner  for a time, and now they are M-Bs; riding success in the RV world more than the vocational. But I agree, Mercs have that "je ne sais quoi" vibe that is hard to translate to the trades.   I had the same problem when I worked in a Pontiac Olds GMC dealer's Fleet Department; Munis would reject Pontiac or GMC proposals..."Yeah, we got your bid and it looks pretty good, but I don't think I can get a GMC pickup past the Council..."

Following on the success of the Metris... I can't wait to see a Maybach Van

This is unrealistic extrapolation on my part but a base Mach-E (260 mile range RWD) starts at $38,290. If ford can cut 25% of the batter capacity to save weight and costs, hopefully this program can also cut ~25% in other build and development costs. That would put it in the sub $30k range. With Ford maybe turning a real profit on it. 

Causes of Aluminum Corrosion Iron Contamination: Microscopic iron particles can become embedded in the aluminum panel prior to painting. Over time, these particles cause the aluminum to corrode beneath the paint, leading to bubbling. [1, 2] Galvanic Corrosion: When exposed aluminum makes contact with steel parts (such as steel nuts, bolts, or an inner steel frame) moisture can act as a bridge, accelerating the corrosion process. [1, 2, 3] Paint Compromise: Stone chips and scratches that breach the factory paint layer expose the raw aluminum to the elements, allowing white aluminum oxide (corrosion) to spread underneath the paint.