Flex puts Ford in competitive spot

It's hard to predict today what vehicles currently on the market will be coveted as collector cars 35 years from now, but at least one group of auto-history buffs believes the big, boxy Ford Flex crossover utility vehicle is the best bet among the 2009 models.

With this group, you had to know the choice was going to be a domestic vehicle, though — they are the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection at the Detroit Public Library.

The Friends organization voted the Flex most likely to succeed as “Collectible Vehicle of the Future” — in the year 2034 — from among eight new vehicles launched for 2009.

That might be a stretch, though, as the Flex really didn't break any new ground with its shape; it's just bigger than any other recent vehicle with the same basic styling — such as the Jeep Commander, Honda Element, Scion xB and Nissan Cube.

What the Flex does for Ford, though, is what's really important: It gives the brand a credible entry in the large-crossover segment to compete against General Motors' popular trio, the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave, as well as the top import model, the Honda Pilot.

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