New York Auto Show

Ford displays new agility in creating Flex

Product development cycle allows late-stage changes

Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News

NEW YORK -- There is no better example of the fundamental changes under way at Ford Motor Co. than the Flex.

The full-size crossover, which was unveiled here Wednesday, is the first product of Ford's new global product development system -- a new way of designing and engineering cars and trucks designed to better leverage the automaker's global talent and resources and produce more and better vehicles in record time.

Gary Boes, chief engineer of the Flex, said the new development system allowed him and his team to make several important changes late in the development cycle that Ford believes will put the new crossover well ahead of its competition.

For example, Ford added a one-touch power option that automatically folds the middle seats to allow access to the back row. That came from observing the way people actually used the folding seats. Ford realized that some customers -- particularly those with small children -- would appreciate the ability to access the third row with their hands full.

Ford also decided offering a real refrigerator with an actual compressor like those used in home models was a way to differentiate it from competitors' cooling units that simply channel cold air from the car's air-conditioning system into an insulated compartment.

Boes' engineers added a larger map pocket in the front doors after realizing many motorists carry a big atlas that would have been a tight fit in the original design.

Ford added customizable mood lighting to make the Flex even more distinctive.

The original plans called for an optional, dealer-installed towing unit capable of hauling 1,000 pounds. But later market research found customers wanted more. So, Ford added a factory-installed Class 3 system with 3,500-pound capacity.

"That was part of the Way Forward process -- getting all the attributes right," Boes said. "We made these changes rather late to make sure that we were giving our customers what they want. We will be fully competitive when this thing lands."

By far the most significant change was the decision -- made 18 months ago -- to put the Flex on an entirely different platform.

The seven-passenger crossover was originally supposed to be built on the same platform as the smaller Ford Edge, but Boes and his team decided to move the vehicle to the larger Ford Five Hundred platform in order to allow for fully stowable rear seats.

Making such a major change was only possible because of the new product development system, Boes said. Since much more of the design and engineering process occurs inside computers, even big alterations are easier to accommodate, he said.

"It is significantly different than the way we did it on the Mustang," Boes said of his last Ford project. "It has really helped us, even with adding all this content."

Jim Hall, an analyst with AutoPacific Inc. in Southfield, said the Flex shows how much the new development system has helped Ford, but he said the automaker needs to continue to develop it if it wants to hold its ground.

"They're a lot lighter on their feet than they used to be," Hall said. But "this is a race with no finish."