Detroit Auto Show: Ford Freestyle FX: The World's First Purpose-Built Crossover Vehicle

    DETROIT, Jan. 5, 2003;  Car-pooling.  Gardening.  Mountain biking.
Going to the theater.  Activities as disparate as these typically require a
fleet of vehicles, or the acceptance of a few compromises when matching a
vehicle and active lifestyles.  Enter the Ford Freestyle FX concept.
    The Freestyle FX concept is a unique, purpose-built crossover vehicle.
Introduced at the 2003 North American International Auto Show, the Freestyle
FX concept is Ford's answer to consumers who demand nothing less than a
perfect fit for their transportation needs.
    The Freestyle FX concept is a new kind of vehicle that transcends
boundaries and can't be pigeonholed.  In the world of crossovers, it is like
nothing else because it is based on nothing else.  Purpose-built for consumers
with active lifestyles, the vehicle was conceptualized as an
all-things-to-all-people, no-excuses concept version of the production Ford
Freestyle, scheduled to make its debut in 2004.
    "The Freestyle FX is a thinking person's vehicle, a complete surprise box
when you open it up," says Chris Theodore, Ford vice president, North America
Product Development.  "It offers the aspirational looks of an SUV, great
driving dynamics with the quiet and refined ride of a sedan, the capacity and
flexibility of a minivan and the security of all-wheel drive.  It will truly
transform consumers' notion of how a crossover vehicle should perform."

    Purpose-Built Architecture
    The Freestyle FX is not based on a car, with a traditional flat floor, low
seating position and inherently limited seating flexibility.  It's not based
on a minivan, which typically feature flat, rising floors and elevated seating
positions but compromised dynamic capabilities.  And it's not like other
crossovers that are typically based on other platforms, like those of
minivans.  They feature poor third-row headroom and legroom, sub-par driving
dynamics, and even aesthetic compromises.
    The concept vehicle, like the production Ford Freestyle, which debuts in
2004, features an all-new, purpose-built crossover architecture with unitized
body construction.  Unibody construction eliminates the need for a separate
structural frame by designing the supporting structure into the body parts,
thus saving weight and adding much desired rigidity, in turn delivering better
ride and handling qualities.

    Driving All Roads, For All Walks Of Life
    No matter where the road leads, Freestyle FX can adapt to accommodate a
hectic lifestyle by transforming into three different vehicle configurations.
The Freestyle FX can convert from a 6-passenger sportwagon to either a
4-passenger sedan or a 4-passenger SportTrac-like vehicle with a cargo bed.
    The vehicle's transformation, which occurs in less time than it takes to
put the top down on a convertible, begins with the press of a button on the
hand-held remote key fob.  First, the rear-most side windows, between the 'C'
and 'D' pillars, retract into the recesses of the side cargo hold.  The back
portion of the roof and rear backlight move forward with the roof rails
telescoping into their forward portions.  When complete, the 'D' pillar joins
the 'C' pillar.  The result is a two-row SportTrac-like vehicle with a rugged
cargo bed that can accommodate everything from fichus trees to snow boards.
    The tonneau, made of a durable plastic, can be installed fitting flush
with the side rails and forming a seamless decklid-appearance at the rear of
the Freestyle FX.  In this configuration the vehicle displays the profile of a
traditional sedan.
    The roof, made of amber-colored tempered glass, offers a unique view of
the sky and achieves the freedom of a top-down convertible with the quietness
of a sedan.

    Sporty Tough Design
    Starting with a typical "two-box" people mover design and long 114-inch
wheelbase, Ford designers opted to give the Freestyle FX a short front
overhang and a roof profile which falls approximately mid-way in height
between many utility vehicles and traditional station wagons.  They then
combined the best attributes of sedans, like seamless body panels, refined
surfaces and low-to-the ground silhouette, with the imagery and rugged good
looks of a sport utility vehicle.
    The collective result is a sporty, tough design that draws second looks
from both truck lovers and car aficionados.
    "The Freestyle FX is one of those vehicles that incites debate as to its
lineage, but customers are in full agreement that it's great to look at," says
Scott Strong, director of design for Ford's Family and Lifestyles Group.  "Its
purposeful stance, refined surfaces and rugged good looks transcend
traditional notions of how people movers are viewed.  The Freestyle FX's
proportions are always at one with its mission, even when the rear roof is
retracted to imitate a SportTrac or sedan."
    At the front, the Freestyle FX uses large, trapezoidal high-intensity
discharge headlamps with integrated turn signals and a grille design
reminiscent of the Ford Escape, Explorer and Expedition.  The grille design
ties the vehicle firmly into the Ford family.  Integrated driving lights
reside on opposite ends of a bar that horizontally intersects the large air
intake in the bottom portion of the front bumper.
    Large taillamps housing bright, LED lights grace the liftgate and wrap
around to the rear fenders to provide tremendous visibility from the back and
sides of the vehicle.  The rear tailgate opens downward in a traditional
fashion while the backlight can be opened up and independent of it, adding to
flexibility.  Twin exhaust pipes exit the rear diffuser at a central position
through large, chrome-plated rectangular tailpipes.
    Flared wheel lip moldings give a rugged, anchored look and conceal
aggressive 20-inch aluminum wheels on Goodyear run-flat tires.  An
all-aluminum cargo rack graces the roofline of the vehicle.  Side repeater
lamps are neatly integrated into the forward face of the sideview mirrors and
amber accent light strips run the width of the door handles, providing instant
visibility at night.
    Aluminum skid plates are mounted directly beneath the front and rear
bumper valences and alongside the Freestyle's rocker panels, providing a
distinctive visual bridge to the vehicle 's Ford family SUV lineage.

    Transformable Seating
    The key to any motor vehicle is its ability to adapt to increasingly
demanding lifestyles.  The Freestyle FX takes that idea one step further by
providing the inspiration for new or different lifestyles.  That concept is
best demonstrated by the outstanding flexibility of the Freestyle FX's
interior, a trait that will be shared with the production vehicle.
    In addition to its flexibility, the Freestyle FX concept's interior design
shows Ford's commitment to triple the investment for interior design on future
products.  The use of high-quality interior materials, seamless integration of
door and instrument panels and attractive seat and trim fabrics is evident
throughout the concept vehicle.
    Accommodating up to six passengers in three rows of seating, the Freestyle
FX allows multiple seating combinations to fit any need.  The vehicle's second
and third row seats can be power folded into the floor for more cargo space,
providing a fully flat load floor.
    With all seats in their folded position, the Freestyle FX provides
cavernous cargo space, large enough to fit a four-by-eight sheet of plywood
inside the vehicle with the tailgate fully closed.
    The all-leather seats match the leather door inserts and include
supplemental side air bag protection for front-seat passengers.  Amber-colored
lighting found in the center console and on the interior door handles matches
the amber-colored glass from the roof and rear windows, casting a glow on the
interior.
    First row passengers are treated to a high-resolution satellite and
navigation system housed in the instrument panel's center stack.  Brushed
chrome bezels with tactile dimples surround the air registers, while the front
seat passenger has an assist handle directly above the glove box, assisting
ingress and egress.
    The second row of seating incorporates a DVD entertainment center perfect
for long trips, with each seat folding independently of the other for loading
flexibility.

    Power for All Conditions
    The Freestyle FX features a 3.0-liter 24-valve Duratec V-6 engine and new
continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).  The CVT provides
exceptionally smooth operation and delivers up to a 10-percent fuel economy
improvement over a traditional transmission.
    Coupled with Freestyle's all-wheel-drive and dynamic stability and
traction control systems, the concept car features safety and security typical
of an SUV, all in a car-like package.