Today, the Reed Factor looks back at a car that was more than that. Ford is saying goodbye to the unique Ford Flex. Introduced in 2008, it dared to be bold. The Ford Flex was a crossover wagon that dared to be different. Production that began to celebrity fanfare is now winding down after more than a decade at Ford’s Oakville Assembly Complex.
Roomy. Retro & Refrigerated!
The vehicle gained a loyal following with its stylish, roomy wagon which blending sport/utility vehicle and minivan capability in a low-slung retro-inspired package. With its formula of offering a family-size interior and amenities on a platform that drove more like a car than a full-size SUV, Flex’s unique, innovative look – created by designers with backgrounds in fashion instead of cars and trucks – made a statement. Its interior was created by Ford interior designer Anthony Prozzi, who worked in the New York fashion industry. He and his team brought in quilted leather seating surfaces and mahogany inserts in the door panels that resembled the surface of a beautiful roll-top desk. For a time, Flex also could be ordered with a real refrigerator in the console between the second-row seats.
Hipper Wagon
“Flex broke the mold. It had both crossover and minivan elements in a hip, trendy package that stood out from what was becoming a really boring minivan segment,” said Chris Kessler, Ford Flex marketing manager. “Its design traced its roots to the traditional family station wagons that many of our customers remember growing up with, but it brought forward modern sport/utility design elements and features both parents and kids loved.”
FanFare!
Celebrities, sports stars and rappers leveraged the unique urban styling of Ford Flex to create custom designs from the very beginning. Funkmaster Flex and Nelly opened the 2008 SEMA show with their own tricked-out versions featuring custom paint schemes, exotic leather interiors and audio/video entertainment systems fit for a superstar – plus their friends and family, of course, in the roomy seven-passenger crossover.
That superstar appeal helped build a loyal following in hip, big-city markets with more than half of Flex sales in Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco through 2019. Through the course of its 11-year run, Ford sold more than 296,000 units overall of its unconventional crossover wagon. The Flex was also a favorite among hip comedians and late-night talk shows, several of whom featured the Flex in videos or customized their own versions, which they often used in appearances around Los Angeles. Baseball player Royce Clayton and his sprinter wife Samantha Davies were featured in regional Ford ads along with their children in a Ford Flex.
Ford Motor Company’s Oakville Assembly Complex also built the Lincoln MKT, which ended production earlier this month. Ford previously announced it aims to replace 75 percent of its current portfolio by the end of 2020. It will be expanding its family of truck and utility vehicles and will feature more hybrid models and more electric vehicle choices, including the launch of an all-new Mustang-inspired electric performance utility vehicle in 2020. To meet shifting consumer demand Ford is working to significantly reduce manufacturing complexity time to ensure its dealers and customers get the latest, most innovative new vehicles more quickly.
Still want a Ford Flex? You can find a new or pre-owned family-friendly wagon/SUV/crossover at ReedHasIt.com!
