Ford Transit Connect Wagon Unveiled With Seven Seats

[nadepalma]

Ford Transit Connect Wagon Unveiled With Seven Seats
Stephen Elmer | Nov 13, 2012

Ford has just unveiled its newest people or cargo hauler, the Transit Connect Wagon, capable of seating seven passengers and rated to haul 1,200 pounds of payload.

Ford claims that the Transit Connect Wagon will get better than 30 mpg on the highway when equipped with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost four cylinder, that makes around 173 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque. The only other engine option is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that puts out about 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque, both of which are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

MORE AT: http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...ml#more-165553

[Benjiwah]

GM Needs to get back into the minivan market yesterday!

[CrunkedRL]

Now wouldn't this van look good in black on black. It kinda has a utilitarian look about it which makes it stand out but in a good way. I wonder will Ford sale this version (over the short wheelbase variant) of the Connect alongside the commercial iteration in the states. It would be one of the most fuel efficient minivans on the market if they did.

[EJD1984]

I like it, but I wonder if this will eat into the Flex sales numbers?

Unless there are plans to phase out the Flex, and this will be it's replacement.

[uvikrama]

Ford seems to be doing all the right things. The only thing missing may be putting the CMAX -2 ltr hybrid power-train and claim a 40+mpg on city and highway.

[44 mpg by 2010]

A more extensive discussion http://finance.yahoo.com/news/slidin...050234053.html

IF Ford would allow their 1.8 TDCI Diesel (110PS) for US consumers ... then we could probably be talking ~35 mpg(US) combined by my estimate. Throw in stop/start and bump that up to maybe 38 mpg(US). Hiway maybe 42 mpg(US)? Maybe tow 3K pounds?

And if it competes in the low $20ks range ... well?

Ooooops ... can't do that! That is into Fusion Hybrid fuel economy territory at substantually lower pricing!!!

Word has it that the new US M/B 2.143 Liter twin-turbo diesel AT 2500 Sprinter van should provide provide about 30 mpg(US) average in mixed driving route applications. That is a BIG machine with serious GVW.

[44 mpg by 2010]

Come to think of it the 2014 Transit will probably be available with the 2.2L TDCi Diesel (ECOnetic) MT ... hopefully capable of at least matching the 2500 Sprinter. http://vanfueldata.dft.gov.uk/vehicles.aspx

[PREMiERdrum]

I like it, but I wonder if this will eat into the Flex sales numbers?

Unless there are plans to phase out the Flex, and this will be it's replacement.

Flex is a dead CUV walking, living out the golden years of this MCE, then riding off into the sunset with no direct replacement.

[blaksabb]

I squint at the center stack and I see a Cylon. Frakking Toasters!

[EJD1984]

Flex is a dead CUV walking, living out the golden years of this MCE, then riding off into the sunset with no direct replacement.

Too Bad. I really like the Flex, and it's art-deco styling. One of the few Ford's I'd consider buying. Hemming's did say late last year that the EcoBoost AWD Flex is a future collectable.

[matt.w]

No way is this a minivan replacement- thats what the C-Max and forthcoming Galaxy replacements are for. This is too commercial, not consumer-focused enough. Looks like it would serve taxi and E-Series church/summer camp/minibus markets well, though. The few Transit Connect taxis I've seen around here look nifty and space-efficient, but they're too rare so I haven't had the chance of riding one yet.

The Flex's fate is a damn crying shame. Now I know how Mercury apologists felt like.

[Joe in T.O.]

GM Needs to get back into the minivan market yesterday!

GM already has the Orlando. I have seen a few around here in Canada. The Transit seems to be an answer to the Orlando.

[vanshmack]

Flex is a dead CUV walking, living out the golden years of this MCE, then riding off into the sunset with no direct replacement.

Yup...

The answer to the question few people asked!

I think the Flex was one of those vehicles that did will in clinics because people thought it looked cool, but when they actually had to write the check, the cool look wasn't enough to justify it over a conventional crossover.

[PREMiERdrum]

Yup...

The answer to the question few people asked!

I think the Flex was one of those vehicles that did will in clinics because people thought it looked cool, but when they actually had to write the check, the cool look wasn't enough to justify it over a conventional crossover.

Actually, Ford internally considers the Flex program to have succeeded its intended mission: Get coastal customers, who otherwise wouldn't touch a domestic make, to buy a Ford.

Shortly before launch, results in group testing changed dramatically, and it became clear that Flex wouldn't be a volume seller. It scored highest with people who were 1. Import owners, 2. Admittedly biased against domestic makes, and 3. Planned to spend close to $50,000 on a new vehicle.

Flex marketing and packaging was shuffled to better reflect this, and the program found a great success rate with the consumers they were targeting.

However, there wasn't going to be enough volume to support a properly-differentiated next generation model, within Ford's plethora of crossovers, so the new one was axed.

[cdp326]

It's more like the passenger versions of the old Astro/Safari and Aerostar. I'm really intrigued by who it will appeal to and how well it will do.

Found some dimensions:

Wheelbase: 120.6"
Length: 189.7"
Height: 73"

That's taller than an Explorer!