Photo: Instagram | a.c.g_design
Even though it wasn't the best-seller Ford had intended to build, the Flex has left its mark on the crossover segment – or the minivan one, depending on whom you ask.
Assembly of the one and only generation Ford Flex commenced in mid-2008 at the Oakville factory in Ontario, Canada. It was built on the D4 platform shared with the Explorer, Taurus, and the Lincoln MKS and MKT, and came with two V6 engines, a Duratec and an EcoBoost, each one with a 3.5-liter displacement.
Sketched by the late Peter Horbury, who oversaw the development of multiple Volvos during his stay at the Swedish automotive brand and also signed the three-bar chrome grille on several Fords, the Ford Flex had a wheelbase that was almost the same length as the modern-day Explorer. It measured 201.8 inches (5,126 mm) in length, 75.9 in (1,928 mm) in width, and 68 in (1,727 mm) in height, and if it's anything that made it famous, it was the boxy styling.
Due to the weird proportions, some consider the Ford Flex a full-size crossover. Others think it's a minivan, and no matter where you stand on that, no one can deny the fact that it's instantly recognizable. It has a long hood, features the three-chrome bar grille mentioned above, has a straight roofline, horizontal lines on the doors that were also replicated on the tailgate, muscular wheel arches, vertical taillights, and big three-quarter windows. It appears that it was the Flex that inspired the modern-day Hyundai Santa Fe, as from certain angles, the Korean marque's new-gen mid-size crossover looks very similar.
The Ford Flex story ended in 2019 with the final copy rolling off the assembly line, and despite going all-in on high-riders in North America (and other markets), the Blue Oval let the moniker die altogether. Nonetheless, over the last four years, there have been several unofficial attempts at trying to resurrect the Flex. All of them used the pixel rearranging process, and the latest that we stumbled upon have a.c.g_design on Instagram behind them, imagining a hypothetical revival of the Flex that stays true to the boxy proportions and still looks like a mix between a traditional high-rider and a people carrier.
Sending Maverick vibes, the face blends a pair of C-shaped headlights with a familiar-looking grille. The Flex name proudly adorns the new hood, and the profile makes use of the same horizontal lines. At the rear, it's more evolutionary than revolutionary, and overall, it is instantly recognizable as a Ford Flex. We think the digital artist did a great job with these renderings, and the Dearborn automaker could learn a thing or two from them, especially if they're interested in giving the Flex a new lease on life with a second generation. But should they?
Sketched by the late Peter Horbury, who oversaw the development of multiple Volvos during his stay at the Swedish automotive brand and also signed the three-bar chrome grille on several Fords, the Ford Flex had a wheelbase that was almost the same length as the modern-day Explorer. It measured 201.8 inches (5,126 mm) in length, 75.9 in (1,928 mm) in width, and 68 in (1,727 mm) in height, and if it's anything that made it famous, it was the boxy styling.
Due to the weird proportions, some consider the Ford Flex a full-size crossover. Others think it's a minivan, and no matter where you stand on that, no one can deny the fact that it's instantly recognizable. It has a long hood, features the three-chrome bar grille mentioned above, has a straight roofline, horizontal lines on the doors that were also replicated on the tailgate, muscular wheel arches, vertical taillights, and big three-quarter windows. It appears that it was the Flex that inspired the modern-day Hyundai Santa Fe, as from certain angles, the Korean marque's new-gen mid-size crossover looks very similar.
The Ford Flex story ended in 2019 with the final copy rolling off the assembly line, and despite going all-in on high-riders in North America (and other markets), the Blue Oval let the moniker die altogether. Nonetheless, over the last four years, there have been several unofficial attempts at trying to resurrect the Flex. All of them used the pixel rearranging process, and the latest that we stumbled upon have a.c.g_design on Instagram behind them, imagining a hypothetical revival of the Flex that stays true to the boxy proportions and still looks like a mix between a traditional high-rider and a people carrier.
Sending Maverick vibes, the face blends a pair of C-shaped headlights with a familiar-looking grille. The Flex name proudly adorns the new hood, and the profile makes use of the same horizontal lines. At the rear, it's more evolutionary than revolutionary, and overall, it is instantly recognizable as a Ford Flex. We think the digital artist did a great job with these renderings, and the Dearborn automaker could learn a thing or two from them, especially if they're interested in giving the Flex a new lease on life with a second generation. But should they?
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