Ford Rethinks American Luxury with Fairlane Concept

Rear Hinged Doors and Triple-Hinged Tailgate Ideal for Production

Making its debut at the North American International Auto Show is the Ford Fairlane Concept. It's an all-purpose,

Ford's new all-purpose, six-passenger, three-row vehicle named after Henry Ford's 'Fair Lane' estate was introduced at the North American International Auto Show by Ford Motor Company Chief Creative Officer J Mays. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

six-passenger, three-row vehicle named after Henry Ford's 'Fair Lane' estate, built for movers and shakers who want, but can't decide between a luxury wagon, minivan or sport utility vehicle. Think of it as a good old fashioned '40s American style station wagon with core 21st century values and you won't be too far off.

Style wise, the Fairlane is about as simple as crossover vehicles come, particularly apparent in its body profile. Like the Honda Element, and US-only Scion xB, the Fairlane is an upright, boxy five-door wagon, with slightly rounded corners and edges. Unlike previous Fairlanes - it was Ford's top-line model that even featured a retractable hardtop in flagship form - the concept has been stretched upwards, with thick, vertical pillars to create an SUV-like look. Aside from five ridges which

The Fairlane is about as simple in design as crossover vehicles come. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

stretch along the side of the vehicle and rolled fender lips, the concept is devoid of unnecessary clutter and clichéd styling cues.

Like the estate that it's named after, the Fairlane Concept is all in the details. With the '40s and '50s in mind, designer J. Mays attempted to capture the spirit "from a bygone era when families lived and worked in the city and played in the countryside." Nowhere else will you find a unified mixture of modern and retro themes, such as the cutting-edge look of the polished stainless steel grille, 19-inch alloy wheels, and high-tech LED projector-beam headlamps which sit alongside the canvas-topped roof and double-dutch side doors.