Ford Transit "Family One" Concept. Your minivan sucks like 56K.

[Blind_Io]

With news that Ford will bring the famous Transit series of vans to US shores (Fucking finally!), they seem to be taking the chassis to new heights and aiming square at Chrysler's dominance of the minivan market. I'm not sure how well this concept will do, but it certainly has some cool features.

Anyone with kids knows what it's like to leave the house and forget stuff behind. Those of you who are past their mid-30s might also remember when minivans were actually mini. Ford will unveil a concept next week at the New York Auto Show that tries to eliminate the first problem in a more manageable package. The Transit Connect Family One concept is based on Ford's new compact van going on sale this summer. The regular Transit Connect will normally be targeted at commercial customers who don't require something as large as the E-series van, although anyone can buy one. Ford is more likely using the Family One concept to evaluate interest in a people mover of this size, with an eye towards introducing the next generation of the C-Max here in the U.S. in a couple of years.

Follow the jump to see all the cool features packed into the Ford Transit Family One concept and check out the gallery of official high-res images below for now. We'll have additional live shots to show you later today, as well.

Here are some selected photos from the article. I cut out all the ones of the nauseatingly happy family posing with the car.









My family uses these radios all the time, I dig the charging station.


This needs to be bigger, much bigger. The X-Terra aid kit is a joke and isn't good for much more than a skinned knee.






See that clear shield? It needs a sound-proof sliding door.

You know, for kids!






Now, on the the adult territory:




All in all, I like it. It could easily be the replacement for the SUV. The rubber floor and cavernous interior make it great for hauling, it's family-friendly and has some really cool features. If I had to get a van, I would really lean towards this since it looks like a converted utility van and not your typical soccer-mom mobile. I can't really get in to the TRON-esque interior, but I doubt that would make it to production.

To me, this seems more like a "Man's Van" than a minivan. I don't know why, but when I see it I think more of "father and son" than I do of "mom and the kids."

We know that custom vans are big in Japan, where they are a rolling party, complete with fog machines, light show and DJ equipment, I wonder if the US is ready for something like this.

[THGL]

Alas, the US will never see the manual trans though.

[Crazyjeeper]

Originally Posted by Blind_Io

We know that custom vans are big in Japan, where they are a rolling party, complete with fog machines, light show and DJ equipment, I wonder if the US is ready for something like this.

Did you forget about the 70s and early 80s? Custom Vans were big. Huge in fact.

[BlaRo]

Haha, the back looks like the sort of half-assed playpen you see at a dentist's office, complete with industrial floor covering.

That LEGO board in the seat is awesome, though!

The first picture makes it look like it has gold wheels, which would be really cool.

[wooflepoof]

Yes custom vans WERE big then Japan just picks up on old fads with the advantage of having better technology to make em more awesomer.

[VR6]

This needs to be bigger, much bigger. The X-Terra aid kit is a joke and isn't good for much more than a skinned knee.

Unless you got some crazy ass kids, do they ever do more then just skin their knee?

It's ugly as hell but does have a lot of really funky and cool features, I'm 21 and I still want a lego building board in my car!

[2Billion]

I like that it's a proper van so the doors don't match the rest of it.

[Raparperi]

As a family man myself, I must say that it has some rather nifty features. I might even overcome my hatred for minivans and consider driving something like this. But let's skip the white and blue color scheme (though it would be somewhat patriotic in Finland considering our flag...), I want one in black

But I can't get one thing...what's with the goddamn stars and flowers in the sides?

[Wizegui]

I want one!

[Blind_Io]

Originally Posted by VR6

Unless you got some crazy ass kids, do they ever do more then just skin their knee?

It's ugly as hell but does have a lot of really funky and cool features, I'm 21 and I still want a lego building board in my car!

When I was a kid I managed stitches, serious abrasions, and knocking out 2 teeth.

Two weeks ago I was first on the scene of a tractor-trailer wreck with the trailer hanging off an 80 foot overpass, it took three big guys and a 5 foot crowbar to get the driver of the truck out. I sure wish I had a better aid kit in my car at the time (which I do now).

[MadCat360]

It's not a minivan, it's a mobile goddamn house.

What's with the Le Mans style lights on the side?

[Cobol74]

I like it - OK I am a FORD fan but hey seems to tick the boxes for a family (randy) man.

[jayhawk]

Originally Posted by MadCat360

It's not a minivan, it's a mobile goddamn house.

What's with the Le Mans style lights on the side?

That's what I was wondering too!

[Labcoatguy]

Shit looks like it's been casemodded. Dads who won't give up building their own computers, your familywagen has arrived.

[Cobol74]

Originally Posted by Labcoatguy

Shit looks like it's been casemodded. Dads who won't give up building their own computers, your familywagen has arrived.

Buy buy buy - I have two case modded PCs and three kids and a wife who say jump and if I do not already know how high I have failed. ... Enough of my worries. They build these things (Transits) 3 miles up the road from me btw. Did I say buy buy buy?

[vRS]

Lego. FTW ! My mum will want one now.

[Blind_Io]

I'm thinking that you put a tow hitch on the back and this becomes the perfect vehicle for taking the bikes to the track.

[Cobol74]

Yep good idea there - I think that we do not make this version of the trannie but the big one, and that this is the one coming to America too, so you may be getting something like this in the US and Canada.

[Labcoatguy]

Originally Posted by vRS

Lego. FTW ! My mum will want one now.

What if the entire floor were made of Lego bumps, including the seat mounts? And the ceiling??

[freeferrarisdonotexist]

Looks really weird in a brilliant kind of way to me. Also, the interior details remind me of Japanese concepts.

The colour scheme isn't that bad, but knowing it was designed to cater to a vomit-inducingly cheery family's publicity shots with the car kind of ruins that bit for me.