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<P><FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=3>Matt,</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>&lt;RANT&gt;<BR>Never fear, we'll never see this out on the road.&nbsp; Just like all of the other "concept" cars they bring out every year.&nbsp; Meanwhile, Honda and Toyota eat the US auto makers lunch every single day.<BR>&lt;/RANT&gt;</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>Seriously, shouldn't Ford first make (that means you can buy it - not this "dream" stuff)&nbsp;a car that people actually want to buy?<BR></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Verdana>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -Robert</FONT><FONT size=3><BR><BR></FONT>------ Original Message ------<BR><B>Received: </B>Mon, 08 Jan 2007 09:51:20 PM EST<BR><B>From: </B>Matt Drew &lt;t3vanagon@GMAIL.COM&gt;<BR><B>To: </B>vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM<BR><B>Subject: </B>NAIAS Detroit Opening<BR><BR><BR></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid; WIDTH: 100%">Volks- <BR><BR>I attended the media opening of the NAIAS in Detroit today (and will return <BR>tomorrow) for a shoot that I'm running for my client, General Motors. <BR><BR>While strolling around looking at some of the absolutely phenomenal new <BR>concept vehicles (that I got MANY pictures of!) I came across the new Ford <BR>van/bus concept, The Ford AirStream. <BR><BR>There have been many discussions regarding vehicles going after the feel <BR>that can only be captured by a T2/T3 VW Transporter/Vanagon . . . <BR><BR>However, I really have to say that this thing is pretty unimistakably an <BR>attempted ripoff of the bricks that we all know and love . . . the lines, <BR>body shape, rotating front captain seats, all of it. <BR><BR>While some of the ideas (Hydrogen fuel cell, "2001: A Space Odyssey" <BR>inspiration, media accessability, floating instrument panel with touch <BR>screen vehicle controls) are pretty cool, and realizing that by necessity <BR>the vehicle essentially MUST bear at least some resemblance to our beloved <BR>bricks, the overall first impression I experienced with the AS was that the <BR>overall execution was lifted, primarily from the T2. <BR><BR>Check it out: <BR>http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_id=25147&amp;vehicle_id=1530&amp;make_id=trust&amp;CFID=9356231&amp;CFTOKEN=80cbda9798c9ec5-58F1241A-1185-6933-5DBA764F4D9844F7&amp;jsessionid=58305b1b7c21J$16$5F$ <BR><BR>Thoughts? <BR><BR>Matt <BR>'90 GL "Blackbeard" <BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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