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Transit Connect to be discontinued in U.S. after 2023.


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20 minutes ago, Andrew L said:

This seems like an odd move these are selling pretty well why would they discontinue it?

Because it’s an kind of an orphan platform. The current thinking was the next Gen would be based off a Maverick. 
 

The one in the EU was replaced by a VW product. 
 

Another though is it will take a break and come back once we know what BEV platform

will be used for small CUVs like the Escape in NA in a few years. 
 

I think that any new ICE development outside of refreshes for Bronco Sport and Bronco is dead for any North American products. I doubt we will see that rumored Subaru fighter outside of the Focus Active name. 

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23 minutes ago, silvrsvt said:

Because it’s an kind of an orphan platform. The current thinking was the next Gen would be based off a Maverick. 
 

The one in the EU was replaced by a VW product. 
 

Another though is it will take a break and come back once we know what BEV platform

will be used for small CUVs like the Escape in NA in a few years. 
 

I think that any new ICE development outside of refreshes for Bronco Sport and Bronco is dead for any North American products. I doubt we will see that rumored Subaru fighter outside of the Focus Active name. 


I'm calling it now. The only vehicles left that will have a straight ICE option by the end of the decade, and this is probably obvious but I don't care, are Ranger, Bronco, F-150, Super Duty and Transit. Everything else will be BEV or FHEV. I'm not convinced that the heavy trucks survive to the end of the decade. 
 

As for that Subaru fighter; that died a long time ago. 

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27 minutes ago, fuzzymoomoo said:


I'm calling it now. The only vehicles left that will have a straight ICE option by the end of the decade, and this is probably obvious but I don't care, are Ranger, Bronco, F-150, Super Duty and Transit. Everything else will be BEV or FHEV. I'm not convinced that the heavy trucks survive to the end of the decade.

 

No Expedition/Navigator?  You think they would leave the family RV towing market to GM?

 

HRG

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46 minutes ago, akirby said:

I would say Expedition, Explorer, Mustang, Bronco, F series, Transit and Ranger continue with ICE powertrains.

Maverick and Bronco Sport might be HEV only.


I’m thinking that by 2026 or so, all those will offer a PHEV or HEV option option only and after 2030, only the Super Duty and maybe heavy trucks will still offer gas options. 

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20 minutes ago, akirby said:


Except the Powerboost hybrid is just an ICE powertrain with electric assist.  It does not use an Atkinson cycle engine or an E-CVT like other hybrids.

 

Well, it doesn't HAVE to be Atkinson cycle or use an E-CVT to be a hybrid.  I would not expect to see either of those on a full-size truck or SUV.

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Did the factory have capacity? Does the cancellation open up additional capacity for BS and Maverick, or is lack of capacity part of the reason for the cancellation?  I’ve seen two commercial Mavericks this week that probably would have been TCs previously. 

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21 minutes ago, fordmantpw said:

 

Well, it doesn't HAVE to be Atkinson cycle or use an E-CVT to be a hybrid.  I would not expect to see either of those on a full-size truck or SUV.


My point was that both still use the same ICE engine and tranny so there isn’t much difference whether it’s pure ICE or a Powerboost hybrid.  As opposed to Escape where the ICE powertrain and hybrid powertrains are completely different.

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21 minutes ago, sullynd said:

Did the factory have capacity? Does the cancellation open up additional capacity for BS and Maverick, or is lack of capacity part of the reason for the cancellation?  I’ve seen two commercial Mavericks this week that probably would have been TCs previously. 


I’m guessing BS and Maverick capacity played a big role in that decision.

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Article is behind paywall so I can only read the headline.

 

But I'm guessing the robust sales or Bronco Sport and Maverick spelled doom for NG Transit Connect.

 

The different requirements for replacement in Europe and North America also played a role, limiting the choice of production sites and volume projection. 

 

At the end, this was kind of a fitting end to "One Ford". As you may recall, Transit Connect was the first non-US designed model that Mulally introduced to the US as a warm up act for Mk3 Focus and Mk6 Fiesta that also eventually saw unification of Kuga and Escape, Mondeo and Fusion, and fullsize Transit coming to the US.

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1 hour ago, akirby said:


Except the Powerboost hybrid is just an ICE powertrain with electric assist.  It does not use an Atkinson cycle engine or an E-CVT like other hybrids.


Right, but still a hybrid. My original point is I don't believe those two will have an ICE only powertrain option by the end of the decade 

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Short of a few Super-Duty's there will not be much of anything except a super limited run or "not street legal" in the lineup that isn't a hybrid or fully electric at the end of the decade; CAFE basically requires it.

CAFE is 8% increase from 23-24 model year, 8% from 24-25 model year, and 10% from 25-26 MY. Post 2026 regular non-hybird ICE will be slim pickings.


 

Edited by jasonj80
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1 hour ago, twintornados said:

Transit Connect was always an imported product for NA....one guess would be that this may continue but from a Ford plant that is not in the EU.

 

It is only sold in Europe and North America. Europe will get rebadged VW Caddy and North America didn't have room for a new one. Where else would you build it?

 

India? Ford just sold the factory to Tata.

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Here’s a bit from the article some of you can’t see…

 

Quote

The small van segment has contracted in recent years as Nissan ended production of the NV200 and other commercial vehicles. General Motors bowed out in 2018 by cutting its Chevrolet City Express vans, which were produced by Nissan. Ford in 2019 canceled plans to add an EcoBlue diesel engine option as part of the current model's midcycle freshening, citing lack of demand.

The Transit Connect leads the shrinking segment, although U.S. sales have fallen 15 percent this year to 15,919 through July.

 So small van sales are contracting pretty badly even as some players departed, Ford will probably double down with full size Transit sales and maybe push the SWB version to replace TC as much as possible…

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