The Ford Fairlane projects Ford's interior design leadership well into the future by offering the luxury of space, function and design.
EXECUTIVE-AIRCRAFT-INSPIRED INTERIOR
The three distinct interior zones, like the cabin of an executive aircraft, include a driver-focused front row, a passenger-friendly second row with first-class appointments and a business-class third row with passenger seating and a utility area for cargo or catering.
Each zone matches design to duty and, like rooms in a home, is tied together with a modern and casual theme. An all-glass roof, similarly segmented into three zones, reinforces the sense of space in the cabin.
STRIKING BENTWOOD DASH
The driver zone is marked by a strikingly low dash aiding visibility and finished with an oak and maple bentwood laminate common to the furniture industry. The exposed woodgrain finish speaks to the vehicle's modernity and authenticity. This same finish trims the door panels, accented with brushed aluminum window and door-lock controls and second-row seat bolsters.
The instrument panel is clad in light tan leather and decked with exposed-grain bentwood. Two large circular dials for the speedometer and tachometer are trimmed in brushed aluminum and housed underneath a uniquely segmented portion of the bentwood that is subtly raised from the rest of the dash. This wood treatment also appears on the two middle roof pillars (B- and C-pillars) as part of the unifying theme. The main gauges are flanked by similarly-styled smaller gauges for fuel level and oil pressure.
A tasteful two-spoke steering wheel is accented with tan leather handgrips extending from each spoke and matching the seats. The center console tunnel includes a large storage bin with flip-up cover also in tan leather.
The console is trimmed with brushed aluminum that extends to the forward tunnel area – with two exposed map storage bins – and flows into a center stack containing the audio and climate controls. The controls' simple, modern design frees the dash of clutter while providing all of the necessary functions within reach.
Heated and cooled air is delivered through a vent running the length of the dash. Located just below the bentwood, this vent includes directional fins that provide even air distribution throughout the cabin.
"The wood and cloth finishes are modern and casual, helping underscore Fairlane's understated sophistication," says Tomasson. "That authentic design theme carries through each zone to tie the whole interior together."
The tan leather front row seats offer Comfort and Command Seating™ thanks to a relatively high seating position and side bolsters. Their seatbacks are covered in a durable woven material that initiates the transition to the second zone and accents the door panels and second-row armrests.
This material is made from recycled paper by Lloyd Loom, a home décor company based in the United Kingdom since 1917. Used for the first time on a vehicle, it is known for timeless elegance and sophistication, as well as its unique ability to resist scuffs and water.
FIRST-CLASS SECOND ROW
The middle zone covering the second row of seats makes the most revolutionary statement, taking first-class aircraft-style seating to new heights. Covered in a closely woven canvas like the roof perimeter, the two reclining club-type seats offer luxurious adult-size comfort, best-in-class reclining angles and easy flat-folding capability for maximum cargo capacity. They also offer first-of-its-kind storage with four separate bins, one in each armrest.
The subtle change in materials helps create a unique atmosphere. The door panel and roof treatments, however, tie the zones together with a common design theme and materials selection. A central roof-mounted video screen and easy-to-access DVD player that slides from the rear of the center console conveniently offer the latest entertainment options.
Fairlane is functional, first and foremost, with intrinsic design value that helps it fit almost any lifestyle," says Kris Tommason, Fairlane Chief Designer. "Fairlane works in completely different settings, just like blue jeans that can be worn with a sport jacket into the city, or with a sweatshirt for a weekend getaway."
HIGHLY FLEXIBLE THIRD ROW
The third-row zone is built for maximum utility and flexibility so Fairlane can be as useful at the destination as it is on the journey. Designers drew inspiration from early Ford people movers, like the wood-sided station wagons of the 1950s that many customers fondly remember from childhood outings.
The third-zone design communicates a utilitarian space with a sophisticated, yet practical, stainless-steel-finish load floor and functional elements. Second- and third-row seatbacks fold flat to reveal this spacious and durable load floor that easily washes free of debris from wet camping gear or pets.
"The second- and third-row zones give you the luxury of flexibility that matches Fairlane's ability to move in and out of different settings with ease," says Tomasson. "The Fairlane allows you to be the chef at a family picnic and take your friends to the finest restaurant in town."
The home-design theme continues with a unique all-in-one food storage and preparation area integrated into the rear door. This unique rolling galley includes a brushed stainless steel refrigerator and food preparation tray that fold down from the rear tailgate. The tray comes complete with molded-in bowls for chips and salsa.
The industry-first triple-jointed rear door opens to the left or right, and the flipglass opens upward for convenient loading in almost any situation. It also features an innovative upper glass section that can be opened to load smaller items or to protect the food preparation area below.
The Ford Fairlane concept is a people mover with a shape unlike anything on the market. Its well-balanced proportions are the foundation for a modern, sophisticated design, a cavernous interior capable of seating six passengers in three rows and a confident driving character.
Fairlane features a well-defined hood, a large cabin with upright A-pillars, four side doors with low step-in height and a rear door with industry-leading triple-jointed hinges. Fairlane's design blends this new shape with sophisticated elements such as the bold three-bar grille that signifies the new styling direction for future Ford products.
POWERFUL FRONT-END APPEARANCE
Three brushed stainless-steel horizontal bars form a powerful front appearance. This treatment is repeated in the headlamp and rear-door.
The three bars surround the molded-in Ford oval and seamlessly extend into the headlamps for a broad, horizontal appearance accentuated by a wide air dam. This horizontal theme, absent of unnecessary design cues, helps create the vehicle's unique proportion and is repeated on the sides and rear.
High-tech light emitting diode (LED) headlamps deliver wide, consistent lighting patterns and are encased in advanced horizontal frosted glass covers that enhance the front-end design. The large top section houses an LED day lamp with an inset projector beam for high- and low-beam settings. The middle turn indicator LED rests above the fog lamp that is half the size of the two upper units.
CENTER-OPENING SIDE DOORS
The clean sides of the Fairlane concept communicate sophistication. The windows are flush fitted for a refined look, and are complemented by five side groove details in the body panels, giving a modern twist to Ford station wagons of the 1950s.
The side-hinged "French-opening" doors reinforce the look and offer maximum access to the front and rear seating areas. The second-row power armrests automatically retract when these doors are unlatched in order to open more room for passengers to maneuver.
INDUSTRY-FIRST TRIPLE-ACTION REAR DOOR
The rear door itself breaks new ground. It features a flip-down utility area with a refrigerator, cutting surface and utensils. The industry's first three-way door opens from the left or right and the flipglass opens upward to offer more ways to conveniently load cargo.
A single stretch of a unique, tightly woven canvas-cloth material is tightly bound to the full roof-pillar perimeter – just as fabric is stretched over a polo helmet – for a unifying halo effect surrounding the glass roof.
Nineteen-inch, ten-spoke brushed aluminum wheels fill the wheel wells and accentuate Fairlane's design and stance. The wheel treatment is carried through the rest of Fairlane by means of brushed aluminum door handles, instrument panel accents, the utility area and the rear door.