U.S. sales of full-size vans are increasing eight times faster than the industry average.

[atomcat68]

@blazerdude....I bet he had a regular 3.7....the 3.5 eco rocks......

 

Still, the one I drove had a 3.7 and the power was better than I expected a van should have. The E series with a 5.4 felt like it was straining all the time, but the engine did have a more sporty sound.

[zipnzap]

On the subject of engines, what exactly is going to happen to the 3.7 in five years? Other than in the new Mustang and MKX, the engine is about to be orphaned.

One could say, "replace it with the 2.7 Ecoboost", but the Transit needs a naturally-aspirated engine for CNG and propane upfits.

 

 

Nope. I drove a high cube E350 Delivery van in college and it was VERY efficient in space utilization......

 

That's a box truck, though. That depends more on the upfit body.

 

Same would go for the bodies on Sprinter/Chevy/GMC/Promaster/Transit cutaways.

Edited May 5, 2016 by zipnzap

[jpd80]

 

On the subject of engines, what exactly is going to happen to the 3.7 in five years? Other than in the new Mustang and MKX, the engine is about to be orphaned.

As a base engine, a NA 3.5 DI would make a nice transition...

[BORG]

What is the capacity for Transit production? How many can they sell in a month?

[fuzzymoomoo]

What is the capacity for Transit production? How many can they sell in a month?

I'm 99% sure the Transit side of KCAP is only running 2 shifts. They can add another of they need to.

[zipnzap]

As a base engine, a NA 3.5 DI would make a nice transition...

 

This is the reason Ford gave for leaving direct injection out of the 3.7 and non-Ecoboost 3.5:

 

When quizzed by TheCarConnection.com, a Ford powertrain engineer explained that direct injection is NOT always a step ahead for fuel economy and emissions--especially when considering cost, complexity, and how the technology will pair with other innovations.

"When the program started, it [the new Duratec in the Mustang] was a direct injection engine," said Greg T. Johnson, a powertrain integration manager whose responsibilities include both engines. But according to Johnson, Ford powertrain engineers eventually realized that leaving the direct injection aspect out of the design allowed charge-cooling advantages--allowing engineers to better optimize intake air temps for fuel economy, power, and emissions.

Typically, direct injection allows better control over knock, enabling a higher compression ratio, which does help optimize combustion. "Yeah, it helped us a little bit with knock, but it wasn't that much for all the cost," said Johnson, referring to all the more expensive parts, such as high-pressure fuel-system components, needed for direct injection. Ford even developed a direct injection version of the engine and was testing running prototypes, "but in the end it didn't make business sense," Johnson summed.

 

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1041628_why-ford-skipped-direct-injection-route-for-new-v-6-and-v-8-engines

Will they be changing their mind at a later date?

[fordmantpw]

 

 

This is the reason Ford gave for leaving direct injection out of the 3.7 and non-Ecoboost 3.5:

 

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1041628_why-ford-skipped-direct-injection-route-for-new-v-6-and-v-8-engines

Will they be changing their mind at a later date?

 

 

Rumor is that the Coyote will be moving to DI in the next iteration.

[92merc]

With the advancements of the new generation of 3.5, maybe they'll be moving to twin injectors on the 5.0 as well. Get the best of both worlds. Otherwise they'll be running into the same emissions issues as they did on the 3.5 with particulates.

[fordmantpw]

With the advancements of the new generation of 3.5, maybe they'll be moving to twin injectors on the 5.0 as well. Get the best of both worlds. Otherwise they'll be running into the same emissions issues as they did on the 3.5 with particulates.

 

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[92merc]

I don't know much about the technical details. But on the 3.5 they were mentioning the particulates were higher than emissions would allow for 2018 rules. It may be that is happening because of the high compression and turbo charging.

 

It may be that on a NA engine, that won't happen as bad. So probably only the engineers really know. Just a layman's guess.

[akirby]

I was behind a Transit 350 tall roof passenger van this morning. Looks like it's a church bus replacing an older similar van/bus but I couldn't see the front of the old one.

 

That is a freakin' tall vehicle! But it also looks great (for a mini bus).

[SoonerLS]

The engineer who does the programming on our HVAC system was waiting for Ford to deliver his new Transit high-roof van. He bought it personally, so he could do his HVAC work during the week, then take it camping on the weekends. He was looking forward to being able to stand up inside the van (I think he's running a Transit Connect now).

[akirby]

Would be cool if they had something like this load-n-go for Vans:

 

[fordmantpw]

The engineer who does the programming on our HVAC system was waiting for Ford to deliver his new Transit high-roof van. He bought it personally, so he could do his HVAC work during the week, then take it camping on the weekends. He was looking forward to being able to stand up inside the van (I think he's running a Transit Connect now).

 

I noticed on the April sales report that sales of the TC were down. I wonder how many TC sales the Transit are stealing. Due the increase in fuel economy over the E-series, the Transit isn't as much of a penalty over the TC. Especially with gas down to $2.

[akirby]

Some but I would imagine some of that is just normal month to month fleet volume fluctations, isn't it?

[fordmantpw]

Some but I would imagine some of that is just normal month to month fleet volume fluctations, isn't it?

 

I'm sure some of it is, just a thought. I sometimes think aloud, or onto a screen.

Edited May 6, 2016 by fordmantpw

[Deanh]

MY 2C....people cross shop the TC an awful lot more than the fullsize...theres more competitors in the TC's class....and it doesn't help that rebates and incentives on the TC reflect the added cost of shipment from an overseas build.

[bzcat]

There is probably a lot of upside to TC sales in the US if it is made in NAFTA zone.

[sullynd]

Wonder if it will end up alongside Focus in Mexico? OAC always seemed like a good fit to me.

[bzcat]

Wonder if it will end up alongside Focus in Mexico? OAC always seemed like a good fit to me.

 

Depends on if Ford wins the USPS contract.

 

If they win, I suspect Transit Connect will be build in one of the slightly under utilized plants in the US (maybe Avon Lake or Flat Rock?). I think Ford is sort of hedging its bet right now by not committing to certain products to those plants (e.g. Taurus, more Lincoln, E-series replacement etc)

 

If Ford doesn't win the USPS contact, Transit Connect will make a good companion with Focus and Model E in Mexico in San Luis Potosi. Or perhaps with Fiesta/EcoSport replacements in Cuautitlan.

[fuzzymoomoo]

TC is too tall for FRAP. That plant is cars only.

[theoldwizard]

I thought I will throw this in here because it is about seating.

 

The 2019 order guide has a HUGE matrix of available seating options ! I don't know how many of these are new but 2 things caught my eye.

 

• The STILL is no option for second row bucket seats (what they used to call Quad Captain's Chairs in the Chateau Club Wagon). I'll never buy a Transit until that is an option.
• I might have missed this before, but there is now a second row, 3 passenger, full width bench available, ONLY in the medium and high roof versions.

Edited May 30, 2018 by theoldwizard

[tbone]

They certainly dont seem to be encouraging people to buy these vans for personal use based on there available seating configurations do they.

[fordmantpw]

There's a reason many (most) conversion van companies went out of business (or the case of the local one, switched to building ambulances). There just isn't much of a market for vans (full-size or mini) any more. S/CUVs have taken over. It sucks for those that like the conversion vans, just like those who like sedans today.

[Sevensecondsuv]

Any rumors on when the Transit gets the updated powertrains (gen-2 3.5 ecoboost and 10 spd trans)? That de-rated gen-1 3.5 and 6R80 is getting to be pretty dated.

 

Also I thought the 3.7 is going away? Does that mean the Transit will get the dual injection 3.3 from the F-150 for it's base engine? What about the 2.7? That'd be a nice engine for a van too for someone after fuel economy...

 

I never quite understood how it made financial sense to keep making orphaned engines for the vans long after the trucks got the new stuff. Seems like it'd be simpler/cheaper to just use the current truck engines.