Lights out: Production ends for Ford Freestar
Thank God it's over. Goodbye Freestar, you won't be missed. Ford has turned out its last head-gasket-consuming, transmission-torturing, flaccid minivan. It was a good try twelve years ago when it debuted as the Windstar, but time has not been kind to Ford's efforts. Moreover, Ford was not kind to the Freestar, letting it die on the vine while the competition became ever more competent. The Oakville, Ontario plant will continue to build cars, keeping all its employees busy with Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX production.The only folks that will even notice the unavailability of the Freestar (act fast, there's about 2,500 left) are fleet customers, with whom Ford will work to substitute other FoMoCo vehicles. Seems like a win-win-win: a tired horse is put out to pasture, the blue-collar folks kept their jobs and the fleet customers who lose out will be made whole.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
roadside observer 10:39AM (1/03/2007)
A classic case of letting a vehicle wither on the vine ... no one's going to miss it.
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Michael Karesh 10:29AM (1/03/2007)
The Freestyle is a much better vehicle in just about every way.
The Windstar started out very strong, but had only two good years before Chrysler and then GM introduced four-door minivans. The Windstar's packaging made it impossible to add a fourth door without a large investment, so Ford delayed doing so. Sales suffered. All the head gasket and transmission failures didn't help, either.
Ford then redesigned and relaunched the Windstar as the Freestar. But they kept the basic package the same, and it was just too tight inside compared to the competition. The handling wasn't the best, but I doubt this is a top priority for minivan buyers.
My review of the beast:
http://www.epinions.com/content_119965781636
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D Man 11:03AM (1/03/2007)
R.I.P., I rented many of them in my lifetime and now I own a Nissan Quest, which is far superior is EVERY WAY!
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rohman 12:26PM (1/03/2007)
It would have been a win-win-win if those responsible for this POS had gone to jail.
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Andrew 12:13PM (1/03/2007)
They still made those?
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Drew 11:52AM (1/03/2007)
This incarnation of Ford's concept of what a minivan is was tired before it wheeled off the production line. It is just another example of why Ford has nothing to offer in the way of truly innovative cars. From form (ugly and heavy appearing) to function (chasing the leading edge other manufacturers are setting), is it any wonder Ford is wasting away?
Why, oh why, would you buy a Ford (recently dead President notwithstanding)??!!
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American Cars suck 12:07PM (1/03/2007)
It's about time they got rid of the DEATHstar. What a POS minivan. This must be another one of their BOLD MOVES.
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Bob 12:07PM (1/03/2007)
GM and Ford took such similar routes over the past 20 years. Started out with RWD biggies, moved up to easier-to-live-with front-wheelers in the 90's, and then did absolutely nothing to keep their vans competitive. It's pretty inexcusable considering what Kia's done with their Sedona. Leapfrogging all of the American minivans + the Quest with their new model.
Although, does it really matter? The minivan market is about as stodgy in the U.S. as the pickup truck market. Nobody cared when they burned through their transmissions in all of those Caravans in the 80s and 90s. Everyone still buys them.
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Pablo Cabrera 12:13PM (1/03/2007)
When Ford then redesigned and relaunched the Windstar as the Freestar was Ford's big error, because his Front Face are same SUV (EXPLORER). I think that a minivan's design is aerodinamic. Look (NEW Toyota Sienna, Honda Od, and NEW Nissan Quest)almost The Ford Windstar, but Never same a SUV for example Ford Freestar/ Mercury Monterrey and GM VANs. MINIVAN+SUV= Production end.
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kerry Phillips 12:01AM (1/04/2007)
Freestar was just a warmed over windstar which was never any good. The older design Aerostar was far better. My suggestion: Aerostar II (remember the bronco II ?) upgrade the plastic piston brakes, the interior door handle. Then howabout that joint venture with GM? Hmm that 3.0 Litre Duramax diesel with a modern 6 speed auto tranny (Allison maybe?) would be awesome in the Aerostar. Now if the heavier Honda minivan can get up to 28mpg on gas, 35+mpg in a diesel is feasible.
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Rich Lewthwaite 4:31PM (12/25/2007)
I owned three Aerostars. I liked them especially for trips because they were roomy and easy to get around in (no console blocking acess to rear seats). Also the high seating gave you a good view of the scenery and of the road ahead. They were good for handling cargo also because the seats could be removed, not just folded. The standard length van fit in small parking spaces. Worst feature was handling in snow. When production ended, I thought that Ford should have put a 2.3L/Manual powertrain in it and sold it in third world countries as a work van
SherbornSean 12:23PM (1/03/2007)
Jalopnik is showing pics of the 08 Chrysler minivan. Same as it ever was.
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billyjoejimbob 1:42PM (1/03/2007)
I wouldn't call this an win-win-win for Ford. True... Oakville CAW workers kept their plant open. But, the Edge/MKZ are (Ford hopes) picking up where the Explorer left off. Ford closed an entire Explorer assembly plant last year, and those people have no jobs. Ditto for one F-150 plant and one of two Taurus/Sable plants (Atlanta), the Wixom (Lincoln cars) plant in 2007 and the Ranger plant in 2008.
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Andy 1:35AM (1/04/2007)
If you can't compete, don't play.
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Mike 2:33PM (1/03/2007)
I reccal only a few months ago people on Autoblog were swearing by their Ford Minivans and saying that Sienna or Odysey are nothing compared to their Mexican made, V10 powered, 5000 LB of torque and 3 MPG minivans.
This only proves that Ford can not do anything............today minivan, tomorrow SUV, because family sedan has long been a Japanese speaking only car.
STAR LISTENING TO CONSUMER, MPG ---UP, GPS---few hundred less, better interior, quality, reliability, and make leather seats cheaper, also out with gray interiors.
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sfast 2:41PM (1/03/2007)
They didn't really just let it die on the vine. When the Freestar came out it had an all new engine, an engine that was in nothing but the FoMoCo minivans. So that is a lot of development wasted.
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BOB 2:44PM (1/03/2007)
Another of Ford's "We don't know what to do, so let's improve an old vehicle under the surface, and leave the outside about the same" bombs from the early 2000s. (perhaps the worst of them) The sooner these embarassments are off the road, the sooner FOMOCO can get back to some strength in the market.
Good timing, when Chrysler is about to show its new vans in Detroit. They have no Mustang, let Ford have no Grade C products filling niches.
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fordman 3:09PM (1/03/2007)
#13
What all new engine? the 3.9 dates to the 3.8 with 1mm bigger bore which dates to the 1970's.
The 4.2 has been around since 1995 from F150 which is also based on Pushrod V6 junk from the 1970s.
Every single review on the Freestar 4.2 said they got 13mpg driving it, said the engine was underpowered and gasped on the highway, and said it was noisy. Give 4.2 to Honda and they'll give you a nice solid 300hp or more....
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George1980 3:12PM (1/03/2007)
I honestly think Ford should leave the engine business. They should source their engines from other companies. GM buys 3.5 from Honda. Its done before. I mean Ford made the recent 3.5 and it was a HUGE deal. They spent 2 years making it, then threw a big party celebrating. I mean comeon. Nobody else does this. You are not suzuki or something. You are FORD. Either make decent engines or get out of the engine building business.
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KT 5:12PM (1/03/2007)
"...are nothing compared to their Mexican made, V10 powered, 5000 LB of torque and 3 MPG minivans."...
I really hope this was an attempt at sarcasm. If not, you're a blithering idiot.
There are no "good" minivans. I've driven or rode in all except the Korean's and none of them excited me in the least bit. I couldn't tell the difference in utility or ones styling being better than the other. They are much like mid-sized sedans, they all look alike to me (excpet the ugly Nissan thing).
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