Ford TRANSIT CONNECT VAN Range
Ford Have Forged A New Path Into Commercial Vehicle Territory With Their Transit Connect Range. Designed And Built Specifically For Business Usage, The Models Compete Across Two Market Segments And Carry A Huge Weight Of Expectation From The Bigwigs At HQ. Can The Baby Transit Live Up To Its Famous Name? Steve Walker Decides
Like a Hollywood superstar attending the launch of their latest blockbuster movie, Ford have arrived fashionably late into the modern small van market. But; instead of rolling up in a 40ft limousine complete with swimming pool,
mini-bar and gymnasium, theyve brought us the Transit Connect.
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For some time, the trend in small van manufacturing has been moving away from box-on-body car-derived vans, with the in-crowd favouring a more integrated one-box approach. But while
Renault,
Peugeot and
Vauxhall have wowed the crowds with their Kangoos, Partners and Combos,
Ford dealers have been lumbered with reliable but less desirable Escort and Courier vans. Finally, though, the UKs favourite manufacturer had to make a concession to the cutting-edge of van design and the Transit Connect is the embodiment of this. Transit is a big name in vans.
Fords largest light commercial vehicle has stood for years, as an immovable object protruding from the heart of the large panel van market. Many challengers and imitators have fallen by the wayside but the mighty Ford remains. The name has come to stand for affordability and dependability, lying dormant in the consciousnesses of small businessmen, fleet buyers and the self-employed, only to rear-up when the whiff of new van purchase decision enters the air. "Yes", theyll say with a glazed, vacant look in their eye, "I think Ill just get another Transit". By entrusting the illustrious Transit title to the Connect, Ford have given it a violent shove up the ladder, but equally, if this smaller van falters, the brand image could be irreparably tarnished. It is a risk but, in light of Fords glowing track record, probably not a big one.
"Issues of durability have been central to the designers thinking in creating the Connect,"
The men behind the famous blue oval must have been reasonably confident in the Transit Connects abilities when they asked it to take care of business in two distinct CV market segments. Every other major van maker shares responsibility for the small and medium sized van categories between two separate models. Ford have simply elected to produce small and medium-sized versions of the Transit Connect (as well as the 5-seater Torneo Connect). The short wheelbase/low-roof derivative will square up to the compact competition with its standard 625kg payload capacity.
Meanwhile, the long wheelbase/high-roof gets an invite to play with the bigger boys through its maximum capacity of 900kg. Should you need a bit more by way of choice, the SWB model can be upgraded to carry 825kg and the LWB also comes in 700kg and 825Kg forms. These maximum carrying capacities are class competitive but the larger Connects three payloads are inextricably linked to the trio of engine options, so the mix and match potential in the line-up is limited. That brings us neatly on to the contents of the Transit Connect engine bay.
Ford employ their DOHC 1.8 Duratec unit as the ranges petrol contingent and, with just over 113bhp on tap, on paper its got more oomph than the other choices. Unfortunately for petrol-heads, the Transit Connect is going to be plying its trade on tarmac - a surface where paper performance can be misleading. For everyday use, punchy, economical diesel engines are preferred by seasoned van drivers and Ford have a real cracker in their Duratorq 1.
8 TDCI. With 220Nm of torque on offer at just 1700rpm this 89bhp powerplant eclipses the petrols 160Nm at 4400rpm. The excellent TDCI configuration with its high-pressure common-rail fuel injection technology has already gone down a storm in Ford passenger cars and now van drivers can sample its delights. As well as useful low-end performance, the TDCI manages to return 37mpg on the combined cycle.
A figure thats only marginally inferior to the second diesel option a 74bhp 1.8-litre TDdi engine that produces the Connects best combined economy with almost 39mpg. Ford are at pains to emphasise the careful consideration that has gone into the Connects construction. As was mentioned, it employs the popular one-box shape to house load area and cabin.
Models sharing this configuration have been christened Integrated Style Vans by some bright spark at Ford. Issues of durability have been central to the designers thinking in creating the Connect, a policy that will be appreciated by van users that like to ask a lot from their vehicles on a daily basis - over many years. High strength materials are common throughout and the cabin has a functional, no-frills appeal that manages to retain levels of comfort (six-way adjustable drivers
seat/good heating and ventilation system) along with some nice details (coin tray/pen holder/take-away hook). Its not unusual for a light van to be criticised for its ride quality or handling but recently, Ford have built a reputation for producing accomplished drivers cars, so were entitled to expect a bit more from the Connect.
The suspension on commercial vehicles has to be tuned to handle large loads but Ford have taken steps to ensure a sharp, surefooted drive as well. When it comes to stopping, youll have to do without ABS, unless you want to pay more and specify it as an option and the same goes for the traction control system. Standard safety features include drivers airbag, seat belt pretensioners and side impact protection. As a whole, the Transit Connect is a good-looking, well-rounded package with warranty cover galore and long service intervals.
The range might not be as diverse as that offered by some other manufacturers, especially considering that the Connect must appeal to buyers in both the light van and the medium panel van sectors. But youd have to back Fords CV expertise, along with the heritage of the Transit name, to carry it to the top. The other small van producers have had it too easy for too long: now it seems the Transit Connect has turned up to join the party.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
VAN: Ford Transit Connect Range ENGINES: Petrol: 1.8-Litre Duratec. Deisel: 1.8-Litre TDdi / 1.8-Litre TDCi PAYLOADS: (SWB) 625/825Kg (LWB) 700/825/900Kg LOAD VOLUME: (cu. m) SWB: 2.8m. LWB 4.67m
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height. LWB: 4525/1795/1981
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