The strange saga of the Ford Flex - Fortune
Sales of the Flex peaked during its first full year on the market at 38,717, and they have been sliding ever since. One critic said the flat roof makes the Flex look like “a port-a-potty tipped on its side. “The Flex could expire after the 2014 model year unless it sees a major spike in buyer interest,” went a posting in 2010. A significant facelift for 2013 that included removing Ford’s Blue Oval from the hood and replacing it with the Flex name in... Sales fell the following year to 23,822. But the Flex has some unusual attributes that could grant it a stay of execution. It is one of only two Ford models recommended by Consumer Reports (the other is the Fusion), which praised Flex for “SUV-like versatility combined with carlike driving dynamics. In 2014, 21% of Flex sales were in California, a remarkable percentage. The Los Angeles Times described the Flex as “kind of a 1950s woody meets a 1970s Ford Country Squire station wagon. Its long cargo bay and even longer flat roof are perfectly suited to carrying surfboards – or at least giving the capability to do so. “The Flex seems to fit the bill for both space and distinctive looks that has (at least at times) proven to be a... This year Ford is selling a little more than 1,000 a month and industry gossip has Ford pulling the plug on Flex in 2017. Analysts figure customers will then. Source: fortune.com
