The final production version of the upcoming Ford Fairlane will be almost identical to the concept vehicle displayed at the Detroit Auto Show last year. That’s the word from Ford’s head designer J. Mays as told in a recent interview with Wards Auto. In fact, people within the company sometimes find it hard to tell the difference between the production and concept versions.

The Fairlane will replace the Freestar, which ends production next year, leaving Ford without a minivan in its lineup. However, with seating capacity for six, the new Fairlane will be positioned as a "minivan with desire" and reminds us of the popular Ford Bronco from the 1970’s.

The new crossover will be produced at Ford’s Oakville plant in Canada, alongside a Lincoln vehicle based on the same platform. The expected launch date is 2008, however, the Fairlane name won’t feature on the new CUV.

FairlaneConcept_33.jpg
FairlaneConcept_36.jpg