The Flex Country Squire's woody heritage is recalled on the new Coupe
in two ways. Brushed stainless steel trim strips on the body sides
remind one of the famous "yacht" paneling, and the electronically
assisted liftgate is adorned with a hefty and artful slab of actual
American Walnut, beveled and embossed, highly varnished, and
waterproofed. Click on image to enlarge. They can be further enlarged by
right-clicking on "View Image" or by saving to your hard drive.
Paying respects to the original 1951 Ford Country Squire, the marque's
first use of that iconic name, this completely contemporary Sport
Activity Coupe is a 2-door wagon just like that '51. Prominently
featured is a forward angled "basket handle" C pillar, a nod to the
Crown Victoria coupe of '55-'56, the '77-79 Thunderbird and the early
'80s Fairmont Futura sport coupes. And yes, I said "C pillar." Just
behind the long single side doors are small triangular windows, shades
of vintage Thunderbirds, which slide electronically into the pillar when
the doors are opened, creating the first, true, pillarless coupe from
Ford in decades.
The standard Flex's severely vertical roof pillars were ditched, along
with the third row of seating. With the slanting and aerodynamic
roofline, the interior has been reconfigured for only four people. Twin
rear bucket seats were moved back and closer together, taking advantage
of the space formerly reserved for the third row. The rear side panels
have "wraparound" sections leading to the rear buckets, and with the
full length central console, giving the rear seat the comfort and
glamour of Ford's 1960s Thunderbirds.
