While the primary intent of Ford's home appliance-equipped Windstar minivan is undoubtedly a lot of free publicity for a model facing fresh competition, Ford probably also wants to make a bigger point with people who'd never dream of owning such a vehicle.
That point would be the reaffirmation of the Detroit company's promise to build what it calls vehicles of "mass customization." In other words, cars and trucks and minivans packaged in such a way that they would appeal to a large enough group of special interest buyers to make them viable.
Which means it is possible that Ford's Oakville plant will one day turn out a TWP (for Two Working Parents) version of the Windstar minivan, perhaps equipped as the concept car it built with Maytag is.
Ford and the Maytag Corporation teamed up to create the ultimate in what they like to call a "personalized for your lifestyle" concept vehicle named Windstar Solutions, which provides convenience and timesaving appliances for on-the-go consumers. The list of equipment includes a refrigerator, a microwave, a cooler, hot/cold cupholders, a trash compacter, a wet/dry vacuum, tray tables, an entertainment system, and a washer/dryer, as well as a concept system called Home Connection.
Research by Ford and Maytag showed that consumers are dealing with many lifestyle demands, including longer commutes, record numbers of working mothers, and people's desire to achieve home and work life balance.
"Listening to and observing the consumer led to the development of the Windstar Solutions concept vehicle," says Jim Schroer, Ford Motor Company vice president for global marketing.