Looking a little like a Range Rover in its boxy styling and barred front grille, the Fairlane concept actually shares its basic platform with two new Ford saloons also making their debut in Detroit, the Fusion and the Lincoln Zephyr, establishing straight out that it's viable for production. It's a proposal for a six-passenger MPV with three rows of seats and a high-quality interior. The upright roof pillars create plenty of headroom, and the cabin is experimentally finished in materials including maple bentwood, Lloyd Loom woven rattan made from recycled paper and a woven canvas.

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For all it's fitted out as a show car, with tricks such as a rolling portable kitchen unit, the Fairlane is drivable: it has the 3.0 V6 engine and six-speed auto 'box as in the Fusion and Zephyr, plus the new-generation four-wheel drive system also expected to feature in upcoming Volvo models. Expect development to continue for production if it receives a positive reception at the show: Ford's recent MPVs and minivans have lost ground to their rivals, so the company needs to come back with something eye-catching. Looks a lot more interesting than a Galaxy, and a neater, less pretentious take on the crossover theme than some of the overdone alternatives on show this week.