Chicago 2008: Ford Transit Connect arrives in the States ready to work

[jetsetter]

Many more photos: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/ogaci...c-tisnart-drof

Lots of businesses and even regular folk have a need for a vehicle with plenty of space inside to carry stuff that isn't necessarily incredibly heavy. For those applications, something like a full-size van is just overkill and results in higher than necessary operating costs. Over the years, Chevy, Dodge and Ford have all offered cargo van versions of their mini-vans for plumbers, caterers and anyone else that didn't need the extra two rows of seats but wanted more storage space. With the demise of the Windstar/Freestar in late 2006, and new, stricter fuel economy regulations on the horizon, Ford found a new solution in its European lineup. Several years ago it launched the Transit Connect, a smaller, tall roofed front-wheel-drive van.

At 6'8" tall, the Transit Connect easily fits in a garage, but the low floor provides lots of room for racks of tools, parts or whatever else the owner might need to haul around. It will be available with either just the two front seats or with an additional second row bench seat for three. In two seater form, the Connect has 143 cubic ft. of storage space that is easily accessible from either of the two sliding doors or the 180o fold out rear doors. The front wheels will be driven by a 2.0L four cylinder gas engine in the US version since Ford is trying to keep the Transit affordable and skipping the diesels for now. It's currently estimating 19/24 mpg city/highway, which is about 2 mpg better than the Chevy and Dodge cargo vans. Ford will start bringing the Transit Connect to the US in mid-2009 from an assembly plant in Turkey and pricing has yet to be announced.

PRESS RELEASE:

Purpose-Built: Ford Transit Connect Delivers
Unique Compact Versatility For American Business

Purpose-built for small business owners, the Ford Transit Connect is a versatile compact van that offers a fuel-efficient alternative to full-size commercial vans.
Transit Connect, debuting at the Chicago Auto Show, is another example of how Ford is leveraging its global product lineup. Transit Connect is designed, engineered and manufactured by Ford of Europe. It was named International Van of the Year when launched in 2003.
Ford is the Commercial Vehicle leader in the U.S. with 40 percent share of the total commercial vehicle market and has been the full-size van leader with the Ford E-Series for 29-years running. Transit Connect further builds Ford's strong commercial vehicle portfolio.

CHICAGO, Feb. 6, 2008 – Ford is tapping its global product strengths to mobilize and connect small business owners in North America with the European-engineered Ford Transit Connect.

Introduced today at the Chicago Auto Show, Transit Connect is designed to bring American small business owners a new vehicle choice that offers improved fuel economy, bigger load capacity and better cargo accessibility than today's commercial vehicle offerings.

"Ford Transit Connect is built on a dedicated, commercial vehicle platform to meet the rigors business use demands. This workhorse is like nothing available today in the American market," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development.

"The Transit Connect provides another example of Ford's commitment to deliver 100 percent new or upgraded products that people truly want and value by the end of 2010," he said.

With its standard, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission, Transit Connect delivers fuel economy estimated at 19 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

Transit Connect will be a truly white-space product for North America. Its closest competitors are cargo vans offered by Chevrolet and Dodge. Transit Connect will provide a significant city fuel economy advantage, while offering more cargo space. Both are increasingly important to small business owners in today's changing marketplace.

"More than ever before, consumers are making the bulk of their purchases from the Internet and smaller, specialty businesses, which is increasing the volume of small package deliveries," said Kuzak. "Transit Connect is ideally suited to meet those delivery needs because of its flexible package, compact size and fuel-efficient powertrain. It will make the delivery process for small business owners easier and more affordable."

Global Product Innovation
Designed, engineered and manufactured by Ford of Europe to beat tough, medium commercial vehicle standards, Transit Connect has been a sales success for Ford across the Atlantic and is an ideal option for small business owners in North America.

"Ford is intensifying its efforts to leverage the best of our Ford product portfolio around the world," Kuzak said. "In Europe, this tough small van has carved out a niche for itself, building on the strength of the Transit name – which is synonymous with commercial vehicle leadership in Europe. Transit Connect can make a real difference to customers here."

Transit Connect was named International Van of the Year by an independent panel of leading commercial vehicle journalists representing 19 European countries when first launched in 2003.

Editors credited Ford for listening to the wants and demands of customers, both large and small and heralded the "long list of clever and practical solutions in the areas of handling, accessibility, security and safety" that Ford Transit Connect introduced.

Car+Van+Truck = Transit Connect
Complementing its truck toughness, Transit Connect handles and performs like a car and offers car-like fuel economy, interior comforts and safety features. "It drives like a car, works like a van and is engineered to be as tough as a truck," said Rob Stevens, Chief Engineer of Ford Transit Connect in the U.S.

This compact van was built around the following key attributes:

* Class-leading cargo area functionality and versatility
* High levels of durability through the use of thick, high-strength steel and a reinforced body shell with partial double skin sides and twin side crossmembers
* Responsive and fuel-efficient powertrain
* High levels of security and safety, with a rigid body structure, side impact protection, dual front air bags and an array of security features, including a lockable hood
* Low cost of ownership, from lower fuel costs to powertrain durability


Opening with Versatility
Transit Connect has cargo doors on both sides and at the rear – dual sliding side doors and 180-degree-opening rear doors – that make accessing its generous cargo area convenient. Its front doors have large openings, making getting in and out of the vehicle easy – an important design feature for delivery people.

For its size and urban maneuverability, the Transit Connect cargo capacity is a massive 143 cubic feet. It can accommodate loads up to 6.5 ft. in length and 4.7 ft. in width.

"Transit Connect can swallow far more cargo than its users might think," said Len Deluca, Director of Ford Commercial Trucks.

"Its versatile cargo area gives Transit Connect an unequivocal advantage, accommodating for large, flat-sided loads and providing a totally flat load floor," he said.

Straight and square side walls of the Transit Connect also mean business on the outside. They provide a clean surface and perfect positioning for commercial branding logos and messages.
Inside, storage systems can make Transit Connect ideal for specific businesses.

For the Chicago show, Ford kitted out Transit Connects highlighting three local businesses – including a catering and event planning company, a wine wholesaler and home technology integration firm – as well as a five-member Chicago blues band.

The Windy City is a fitting place to debut the versatile Transit Connect. Its maneuverability makes it ideal for urban use, where streets are congested and parking space for delivery or service vehicles is limited. Its tight turning radius makes Transit Connect as nimble as a compact car. And its height makes it ideal for tight parking garages with limited-height clearances – Transit Connect gets in and out of garages with as little as 6 ft. 8 in. clearance.

Established Credentials
Transit Connect is part of a family of Transit commercial vehicles offered across Europe. Since the introduction of the Transit Connect, Ford's share of the European light and medium duty commercial vehicle market has doubled to 34 percent. In record-setting 2007, Ford sold 109,900 Transit Connects and 224,915 Transits in Europe.

For more than 40 years, the Transit brand has synonymous with commercial vehicle excellence, a success which continues to grow. In 2007, Ford achieved an all-time record European commercial vehicle retail volume across its 19-market region, including individual model volume records for Transit Connect and the Ford Transit medium commercial van. More than 5 million Transit units have been manufactured since 1965.

Thanks largely to E-Series, Ford is the reigning Commercial Vehicle leader in the U.S. with 40 percent share of the total commercial vehicle market and has been the full-size van leader with E-Series for 29 years running.

Transit Connect is manufactured in Kocaeli, Turkey, at Ford's most advanced light commercial vehicle assembly plant. It will be available in select North American markets in mid-2009.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/06/c...-in-the-state/

[pfrocker]

I bet you can pick up chicks with that!

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by pfrocker

I bet you can pick up chicks with that!

You can fit a lot of 'em in the back. They may not always be alive, though.

[Viper007Bond]

Ugly as sin. Only way it's gonna see is if it's dirt cheap. The MB / Freightliner / Dodge Sprinter van is just too big and roomy.

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by pfrocker

I bet you can pick up chicks with that!

Pfft! You can't pick up chicks in a tank Transit.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

Ugly as sin. Only way it's gonna see is if it's dirt cheap. The MB / Freightliner / Dodge Sprinter van is just too big and roomy.

Yes, the Transit is designed to be cheap. Have you seen the prices on a Sprinter? Pricey.

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

Pfft! You can't pick up chicks in a tank Transit.

It looks like a puma.

[BlaRo]

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

It looks like a puma.

Look, see these two tow hooks? They look like tusks. And what kind of animal has tusks?

[deathrazor]

What's that thing in Mexico that eats the goats?

[Crazyjeeper]

chupacabra

[Spectre]

OK, the good news is that Ford brought over a Transit.

The bad news is that they brought over the WRONG Transit. We need the regular Transit, not the Transit Connect.

[Peter3hg]

It seems a bit random giving you this one but not the proper Transit.

[Mopar Man]

Originally Posted by BerserkerCatSplat

Yes, the Transit is designed to be cheap. Have you seen the prices on a Sprinter? Pricey.

That's because Dodge Sprinters are literally Mercedes Sprinters with a Dodge badge.

[teeb]

I know the US has this diesel phobia, but...a petrol Tranny? Bleuh...

edit - also, who is this aimed at? Is it for the 'car with blacked out windows and removed rear seats' market? To compete against pickups? Or against fullsize vans such as the aforementioned Sprinters? I can't see it going after any of those...:/

[anti-net]

Not sure why Ford Europe would think that car is the best one to send over when clearly the Focus ST or new Mondeo would be better

That car does sell quite well in Europe despite looking like it does, I do think they should send over the proper transit too, don't see why that wouldn't sell over there at all.

[Viper007Bond]

Originally Posted by teeb

I know the US has this diesel phobia, but...a petrol Tranny? Bleuh...

That's because when we think diesel, we think 70's VW Rabbit or a pickup truck which is really loud and smelly.

[teeb]

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

That's because when we think diesel, we think 70's VW Rabbit or a pickup truck which is really loud and smelly.

Yus, I know, but...I just don't really see the point of a petrol Transit. 24mpg? Not exactly brilliant.

And since the US-spec ones are being built in the same Turkey factory all the other Tranny Connects are being built in, surely there'd be no harm in at least *offering* a diesel option then just shoving any ordered diesels onto the boat with the others.

[Hercules286]

It IS very cheap, even in Europe.

While this little van does sell well, it's not people who buy it - it's small businesses and couriers. They would think nothing of the diesel - but it'd jack up the initial price considerably, and I'm not sure Ford have a diesel that's compliant with US emission standards yet.

This car's fate depends on whether small businesses who need to do a shitload of mileage (especially in the city) will like it, and how many of them there are.

So, how many small businesses ARE there, which need to do a shitload of mileage in the US?

[YF19pilot]

Originally Posted by petarkb

So, how many small businesses ARE there, which need to do a shitload of mileage in the US?

Florists are the first thing that comes to mind. It looks like a good replacement for the old US Mail vans (and since its a Ford they'll be buying "American"). Other than that, maybe some kind of courier service or catering or maybe an office supply delivery van or something like that. Too small for a 4chan party van.

[otispunkmeyer]

yay the US are gonna get white (tranny) van men

i do love the tranny van though, its not especially good looking but for a van its passable and its well known that the fastest vehicle on the road today is the transit van

forget ferraris and lambo's... tranny van man got them covered


plus its all about the diesel, the non turbo one at that..... you gotta drive one of those with the valves punching holes in the bonnet (oh and some ear plugs)

[Mopar Man]

Originally Posted by Viper007Bond

That's because when we think diesel, we think 70's VW Rabbit or a pickup truck which is really loud and smelly.

I resent that, my truck is not smelly, at least not on the outside.