Newest production year / model of 60/40 1st row bench seat / 9 pass. seating?

[Henry4dAce]

Dear Expy aficionados,

tried Forum's Advanced Search, but unfortunately did not come up w/ an Answer.

My Q is: What newest production year & what specific model(s) did offer a 60/40 1st row bench seat?

This, combined w/ a 2nd row bench seat. No "captain's chair" buckets, pls.

One could also put it this way: When was the last time a brand new Expy could accomodate 9 passenger capacity and what models did that?

Thanks in advance, gang.

 

[Trainmaster]

2008 was the last year for the split bench, which could not be ordered in leather or with a sunroof.

 

[Don Hall]

My 2004 XLS 4.6 came with a cloth bench front seat.

 

[Henry4dAce]

Thanks a lot for the input.

We actually thought bench was available a few years longer. Year 2008 finale. Gee.

It's sad, that such a fine American automotive tradtion was killed off just to adopt European standards, rather than keep domestic ones.

 

[Trainmaster]

Was probably actually killed off because nobody ordered it any more. People (except me) seem to like the consoles and the storage space they provide. And Ford hides lots of components under the console.