LEADER: New Ford Transit Connect
Class-leading efficiency, functionality and durability are the three key selling points of the new Ford Transit Connect, priced from £13,921.
Available to order for late 2013 delivery, the Transit Connect costs at most £19,130, generating a saving of up to 7% on outgoing models.
The vehicle will be sold alongside the multi-award-winning Transit Custom, and the forthcoming Transit Courier and two-tonne Transit to be launched in 2014.
Barb Samardzich, Vice President of Product Development at Ford of Europe, said: “”Ford has taken the toughness and dependability of the current Transit Connect, made considerable improvements to the fuel efficiency, added smart new loadspace features, and delivered a dynamic new style.
“The all-new Transit Connect sets new standards for compact vans and provides the perfect partner for a wide range of businesses.”
The Transit Connect ECOnetic version is capable of 70.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 105g/km when fitted with a 62mph limiter – a 34% improvement on the current model.
It is also the first Ford van to accommodate the 50.4mpg, 129g/km 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, twice International Engine of the Year award winner.
Ford ECOnetic Technologies, including Auto-Start-Stop and Active Grille Shutter, are also available on selected models, helping to minimise fuel consumption.
The full powertrain line-up includes the 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel with 75, 95 and 115PS power outputs, and the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol with 100PS power output.
Available in Van, Double-Cab-in-Van and Kombi bodystyles with short-wheelbase (L1) and long-wheelbase (L2) versions, the Transit Connect offers a spacious and practical load area.
Total volumes amount to 2.9m3 and 3.6m3with a full bulkhead, or 3.7m3 and 4.4m3 including the front loadspace area (L1/L2, measured to SAE).
The new vehicle can carry payloads of up to 1,000kg, matching best-in-class figures.
A load-through hatch in the bulkhead and fold-flat passenger seat enables loads up to 3.0m (L1) and 3.4m (L2) to be safely carried in the vehicle.
In addition, a multi-fold dual passenger seat now enables van models to carry up to three people in the cab.
With a width between the wheelarches of 1,226mm, both models can accommodate two Europallets in the load area.
The Kombi and Double-Cab-in-Van models offer seating for five – or seven in the L2 Kombi model – and deliver flexible rear seat configurations.
DCiV versions feature a movable mesh bulkhead, while the L2 model also offers a unique fold-flat seat capability that optimises loadspace from the front passenger seats rearwards.
The Transit Connect has covered the equivalent of three million miles in arduous testing, including at least 250,000 miles in tough real-world fleet conditions.
Its improved remote locking system now offers two frequency channels for enhanced security and can be fully configured to the customer’s needs.
Meanwhile, anti-tamper shielding of the door lock latches prevents destruction of the locks by drilling or chiselling.
The Transit Connect is the first in its class to offer Active City Stop, designed to help motorists avoid low speed collisions with stationary or slower moving traffic in front.
It also offers Ford SYNC connectivity with Emergency Assistance, a feature for which Ford already received a EuroNCAP Advanced Reward with the Transit Custom.
