Ford Freestyle FX Concept
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.
Although New-Cars.com checks with auto manufacturers and their representatives
to confirm the accuracy of the data, it makes no guarantee or warranty,
either expressed or implied with respect to the data presented here. All
specifications, prices and equipment are subject to change without notice.
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