bzcat Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Press Release Ford Reveals Latest Additions to Top-Selling Transit Family – Meet the New Transit Connect and Transit Courier VansFord reveals first details of the new Transit Connect and Transit Courier light commercial vehicles that will join the top-selling Ford Transit family from mid-2018 New Transit Connect delivers bold design and fuel-efficient engines with all-new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel and 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol featuring cylinder deactivation Compact new Transit Courier offers updated powertrains with standard six-speed transmission, SYNC 3 technology and refreshed front-end appearance Ford is Europe’s No. 1-selling commercial vehicle brand; entire product line-up to benefit from renewal during the next 18 months COLOGNE, Germany, Dec. 4, 2017 – Ford today revealed the first details of the new Transit Connect and Transit Courier light commercial vehicles – part of a Ford product revolution that will see the company’s entire commercial line-up in Europe renewed during the next 18 months.Transit Connect and Transit Courier are an important part of the latest four-model Transit family, which has driven Ford to become Europe’s No. 1-selling commercial vehicle brand, with sales exceeding 276,000 in year-to-date October, an increase of 8 per cent over 2016.Featuring stylish new designs, more fuel-efficient powertrains* and advanced new driver assistance technologies, the two new Transit models will be available to order in spring 2018 for customer delivery from the middle of the year.“Ford’s latest Transit family has taken the European market by storm, and we have no intention of taking our foot off the gas,” said Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “We’ve given our two smaller Transits a complete overhaul that makes them even more affordable to run, more stylish to look at, and ready to tackle every job our customers throw at them.”New Ford Transit ConnectNew Transit Connect introduces a smart new front-end appearance that adopts the latest Ford design DNA. An imposing three-bar Transit grille combined with slimmer headlamps – with powerful HID Xenon lamps and LED daytime running lights available on high series models, combine with a more aerodynamic lower fascia and front spoiler to deliver the fresh new look.Inside the Transit Connect, an upgraded cabin features a revised instrument panel with a new central control area that incorporates a floating, tablet-inspired 6-inch colour touchscreen on high series models, featuring Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system. New trim materials provide a stylish and hard-wearing working environment for long working days in the cab.A state-of-the-art new powertrain line-up provides enhanced fuel-efficiency, while achieving Euro 6.2 emissions standards. Ford’s all-new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel engine combines the latest fuel injection, turbocharging and emission-control technologies with a low-friction engine design to deliver improved performance alongside reduced fuel-consumption.For customers requiring a petrol option, new Transit Connect offers an advanced new version of the multi-award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, which incorporates significant changes to the cylinder head, fuel injection and emission-control systems to provide further improvements in fuel-efficiency. New technologies also include cylinder deactivation, which enables the engine to run on two cylinders at low loads, to reduce pumping losses and improve fuel-efficiency.An upgraded six-speed manual transmission is now fitted to all engines as standard. The 1.5‑litre EcoBlue engine can also be specified with an advanced new eight-speed automatic transmission, which has been engineered to deliver optimised fuel-efficiency alongside responsive performance and smooth, swift gearshifts.To minimise overall cost of ownership, service intervals have been extended on both diesel and petrol variants, with manual diesel vehicles now offering best-in-class variable intervals of up to 2 years/40,000 km (25,000 miles). The longer service intervals contribute to scheduled maintenance and non-scheduled repair costs that are significantly lower than the primary competition, according to Ford analysis.The new Transit Connect introduces a comprehensive range of segment-first driver assistance features including Intelligent Speed Limiter – that enables automatic adjustment of maximum vehicle speed to remain within legal limits, the Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection emergency braking system, Side Wind Stabilisation, and Active Park Assist that helps to steer the vehicle into both parallel and perpendicular parking spaces.Like the outgoing model, new Transit Connect offers commercial vehicle operators an outstanding breadth of capabilities, with short and long wheelbase options providing load volumes up to 3.6 m3 (VDA), payload capacity ranging from 520-890 kg, and bodystyles including van, kombi and double-cab-in-van.New Ford Transit CourierThe Transit Courier is the smallest member of Ford’s Transit family, and the new model brings a refreshed front-end appearance that incorporates a reshaped grille opening and revised design for the lower fascia.The cabin features a redesigned centre console design for enhanced ergonomics, including a new, larger 6-inch colour touchscreen with Ford’s SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system that is available on higher series models, and positioned closer to the driver for improved visibility and ease-of-use.Meeting the latest Euro 6.2 emissions standards, the updated powertrain line-up offers customers the choice of fuel-efficient 1.5-litre TDCi diesel and 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engines. All vehicles feature Ford’s all-new six-speed manual transmission in place of the outgoing model’s five-speed gearbox, offering improved shift quality, refinement and contributing to better real-world fuel-efficiency.For the ultimate in low running costs, a new fuel-efficiency package is offered as standard on diesel models, which integrates optimised aerodynamics with an Active Grille Shutter that improves warm-up times and reduces aero-drag.New Transit Courier offers urban van operators a payload capacity ranging from 500-590 kg, load volumes up to 2.4 m3 (VDA), and a choice of van and kombi bodystyles. The series line-up now also includes a new Limited variant, providing customers with an alternative to the dynamic Sport model at the top of the range.Further information about the new Transit Connect and Transit Courier models, including fuel consumption and performance data, will be published closer to the launch of the vehicles in 2018. 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rmc523 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 We obviously don't get the Courier here, but the new Connect looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosetang Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Nice improvement to the Connect, much prefer that to the overly busy current nose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bzcat Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 The new look definitely an improvement over the existing Connect. Also interesting is that Ford is now selling gasoline engine Connect (and Courier) in Europe. Both now available with 1.0 EB where they had been exclusively diesel up to this point. Ford will stick with 2.5 I4 for sure here in the US until the next gen but I wonder if Ford will slide the 1.0EB in the Connect for the US market as an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanh Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Courier may be coming here....as a hybrid, but don't quote me on that. And sad to say the 1.0 eco just didn't work here, or the 1.6 in the Transit Connect to tell the honest truth.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzymoomoo Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Courier may be coming here....as a hybrid, but don't quote me on that. And sad to say the 1.0 eco just didn't work here, or the 1.6 in the Transit Connect to tell the honest truth.... 2.0 would have been a better fit. Or the revised 1.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonerLS Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 Also interesting is that Ford is now selling gasoline engine Connect (and Courier) in Europe. Both now available with 1.0 EB where they had been exclusively diesel up to this point. I'm wondering why they don't bring the new diesel over in the TC. It's almost exclusively a fleet/commercial vehicle, so it would seem that a diesel would be a natural fit, especially for fleet buyers who already have diesel Fords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted December 6, 2017 Share Posted December 6, 2017 I'm wondering why they don't bring the new diesel over in the TC. It's almost exclusively a fleet/commercial vehicle, so it would seem that a diesel would be a natural fit, especially for fleet buyers who already have diesel Fords. Probably cost/low take rate. Hard to get enough fuel savings to make up the difference. And most TCs probably just don't need the extra torque given how they're used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpd80 Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Yes, striving for more efficiency out of an already efficient gasoline version, the gains may not be there in a low fuel price region. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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