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FORD Flex Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Generations: 2
First production year: 2009
Engines: Gasoline
Body style: Wagon (station wagon, estate, combi, touring)
FORD Flex photo gallery

From time to time, the big car-manufacturers are bold enough to build an unusual vehicle to test the market. That works only if they have deep pockets to cover the costs if it's not well received.

In 2007, Ford launched an unusual cross-over: the Flex. It is a cross-over in every way. The bodywork looks like a mix between a station wagon and an SUV. The long, over 5 meters (200") body was seated on a Ford Taurus platform. An unusual decision made by Ford was to remove the blue oval from the hood and, instead, the designers placed the word FLEX on it. The grille was updated compared to the non-facelifted version and it was better integrated into the front fascia with the headlights. On the sides, the lines embossed in the bodywork looked stylish.

Since it was based on a comfortable saloon, it was normal that the ride in a Flex would be at the same level. And then, Ford added 7 seats with enough room for adults in the last row, with a fixed glass ceiling above them. For the 2013 model, apart from the base trim level, all the others featured the Sync infotainment system from Ford as standard, with voice recognition and an 8" touch-screen. The driver had also two 4.2" information displays in the instrument cluster.

The base model featured a naturally aspirated V6 and front-wheel-drive, while the top, twin-turbo EcoBoost unit featured all-wheel-drive as standard. All versions were mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

full description and technical specifications
FORD Flex photo gallery

Based on the 2006 concept-car Ford Fairlane, the Flex was an unusual-looking vehicle built for those who liked the vanilla ice-cream but with some chilly powder on top.

Every now and then, carmakers are building different vehicles to test the market. Sometimes, these cars are hitting the jackpot while other times are hitting bottom. Ford Flex was not a sales winner, but the blue-oval brand kept it on the production lines until 2019, and that proved that it was on the green side of the profit charts. Since Ford built it on the same platform as the Taurus, it lowered production costs.

The design was definitely unusual. Even though it resembled a stretched Scion xB, it didn't look out of place on the road. Its blacked-out greenhouse pillars and white or silver roof made it look even longer than it was. At the front, the three-slats chrome-plated bars were already a Ford signature used on other vehicles, including the F-Series. In the back, the corner-mounted taillights flanked a silver area from the tailgate. Everything about it was about horizontal lines, from front to back from left to right.

Inside, Ford offered the Flex with six or seven seats. The former version featured two individual seats on the middle row, with a big center console between them. At the front, the sloped center stack sported the infotainment system that included navigation and Bluetooth connectivity.

Under the hood, Ford installed a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that sent the power to the front or an all-wheel-drive system. The full-options version featured a turbocharged unit that could propel the car to 60 mph (97 kph) in less than seven seconds.

full description and technical specifications