Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Ford Fiesta winning hearts and minds - and wallets - in Europe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/ford-fiesta-winning-hearts-and-minds-and-wallets-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/ford-fiesta-winning-hearts-and-minds-and-wallets-in-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/16/ford-fiesta-winning-hearts-and-minds-and-wallets-in-europe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


2009 Ford Fiesta - Click above for a high-res gallery

The Ford Fiesta has already won us over -- twice - and we can't even buy the car yet. But European buyers are nabbing so many Fiestas that the Blue Oval is now enjoying a 10% market share in Europe based on the strength of the compact's sales alongside the Focus and Transit. It's the first time that Ford has had a double-digit European market share since September 2001, and it keeps Ford solidly in the number two spot overall behind Volkswagen.

In all but three of Europe's 19 markets, Ford says it has improved its showing. Already this year, there have been 108,000 Fiestas sold, with 52,800 of those coming in March alone. The market share triumph is even sweeter seeing that overall industry sales took a double-digit fall, but Ford is getting more of what's left. There was no cheating with fleet sales, either: retail sales were up 13% year-on-year. Only France, Switzerland, and Italy showed declines. Appreciate the tip, Preston.


Gallery: Ford Fiesta in NYC


[Source: Ford]

Ford Fiesta winning hearts and minds - and wallets - in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>compactearningseuropefiestafinancialsfocusfordford europeford fiestaford focusford of europeford transitFordEuropeFordFiestaFordFocusFordOfEuropeFordTransithatchbackmarket shareMarketSharetransitThu, 16 Apr 2009 13:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford's new electric van for 2010 will come from Europe]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/17/fords-new-electric-van-for-2010-will-come-from-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/17/fords-new-electric-van-for-2010-will-come-from-europe/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/17/fords-new-electric-van-for-2010-will-come-from-europe/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a gallery of the Ford Transit Connect van

Ford's business plan submitted to Congress a few weeks ago indicated that the Detroit-based automaker would be offering a "full battery electric vehicle in a van-type vehicle for commercial fleet use in 2010." Up until this point, we were left to speculate on the basis for the new EV, but Ford CEO Alan Mulally has now revealed that the new Blue Oval van will be based on the European Ford Transit that's scheduled to hit U.S. shores in the summer of 2009. We expect to hear more about the upcoming electric van over the next few months, possibly at the Detroit Auto Show in January, but the fact that it'll be based on the Transit should come as little surprise. The only other cargo vehicle that the automaker has at its disposal is the full-size, rear-wheel-drive E-Series, and that platform would be much less appropriate for an urban electric vehicle than the lighter, front-wheel-drive Transit van.

Gallery: Ford Transit Connect


[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Ford's new electric van for 2010 will come from Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric ford transitelectric ford vanelectric vanElectricFordTransitElectricFordVanElectricVanfordford transitford transit connectFordTransitFordTransitConnectWed, 17 Dec 2008 17:59:00 EST<![CDATA[SEMA 2008: Ford Transit Connect H&R Concept gets a new pair of shoes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/04/sema-2008-ford-transit-connect-handr-concept-gets-a-new-pair-of-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/04/sema-2008-ford-transit-connect-handr-concept-gets-a-new-pair-of-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/04/sema-2008-ford-transit-connect-handr-concept-gets-a-new-pair-of-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of the H&R Ford Transit Connect Concept

The only time you'd normally put a Ford Transit Connect van together with Piloti racing shoes is if the van in question were delivering them, or there were a 1-make van racing series... which sounds kind of cool now that we think about it. But take those two, add H&R Springs and what you've got is a SEMA-specific combination.



H&R did its usual, dropping the Transit Connect over a set of 19-inch wheels, and then Piloti finished the interior in a steel and microsuede wonderland topped off by a wooden shift knob and two creepy baby shoes hanging from the rearview mirror. You can check out the press release after the jump, and that wild speaker setup in the gallery of high-res images below.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Ford Transt Connect H&R Concept



Continue reading SEMA 2008: Ford Transit Connect H&R Concept gets a new pair of shoes

SEMA 2008: Ford Transit Connect H&R Concept gets a new pair of shoes originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above for a high-res gallery of the Ford Transit Connect Taxi

Where better than New York for Ford to show off a taxi cab? And what better platform than the company's new Transit Connect van? Ford's Mark Fields and designer J. Mays were on hand for the unveiling of the Transit Connect Taxi Concept, and both were somehow amazed at the applause the concept generated. Seeing as how there were only a handful of us there and that the rest of the crowd consisted of Ford employees, we find it hard to believe there wouldn't be applause aplenty. Seriously though, this is one fun cab. After spending some time in the regular fleet of bumblebee-colored Crown Vics this past week, we can attest that the Transit Connect Taxi has a lot of things that make it a natural improvement over current standard taxis. Our favorite was the panoramic roof that allows passengers to take in tall buildings with a single glance, but we also liked the flexible seating and cargo configurations, as well as the funky interactive infotainment system for the back seat. Although it looks a bit large in photos, the Transit Connect Taxi Concept actually has a small footprint vehicle and seems like it could go four-wide where the Vics can only manage three abreast. Check out the press release after the jump and all of our live high-res pics in the gallery.

Gallery: Ford transit Connect Taxi Concept


[Source: Ford]

Continue reading New York 2008: Mark Fields hails a Transit Connect Taxi Concept

New York 2008: Mark Fields hails a Transit Connect Taxi Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ford transitford transit connectford transit taxiFordTransitFordTransitConnectFordTransitTaxiMark FieldsMarkFieldsnew yorknew york 2008new york auto showNewYorkNewYork2008NewYorkAutoShowWed, 19 Mar 2008 11:41:00 EST<![CDATA[Chicago '08 Preview: Ford Transit Connect rumored to arrive]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/23/chicago-08-preview-ford-transit-connect-rumored-to-arrive/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/23/chicago-08-preview-ford-transit-connect-rumored-to-arrive/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/23/chicago-08-preview-ford-transit-connect-rumored-to-arrive/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


click above for more high-res images of the Ford Transit Connect

We reported last January that the European Ford Transit Connect would be coming to the U.S., and now we've learned that the Euro van is expected to join the assemblage of debuts at this year's Chicago Auto Show. Speculation is that the front-wheel-drive mini-ish vans will hit showrooms as a 2009 model and come with a 4-cylinder engine. It is also said to have seating for five, but meant to compete with another, larger European transplant, the Dodge Sprinter. Since Ford hasn't even acknowledged that the vehicle will be at Chicago, it hasn't issued a price, but MSRP for the Sprinter Van is $32,150 and the Sprinter Wagon goes for $34,350. If nothing else, we're happy to see Ford's European migration this way continuing, and there's even a Transit Connect SportVan! Now if we could work on some of those passenger car offerings...

[Source: The Car Connection]

Gallery: Ford Transit Connect


Gallery: Ford Transit Connect Sport Concept

Chicago '08 Preview: Ford Transit Connect rumored to arrive originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chicago auto showChicagoAutoShowdodge sprinterDodgeSprinterford transitford transit connectFordTransitFordTransitConnectsprintertransit connectTransitConnectWed, 23 Jan 2008 13:55:00 EST<![CDATA[VW Crafter Atacama Concept]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/vw-crafter-atacama-concept/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/vw-crafter-atacama-concept/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/20/vw-crafter-atacama-concept/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



On our drive back home yesterday, we saw one of those apocalypse-ready Ford Econoline vans tooling along on the freeway and thought to ourselves, "Autoblog needs a mobile command unit." After running it by our budget office and being swiftly laughed out of the building we were forced to come back out of the clouds. Then this shows up and we start salivating again.

The translation from Caradisiac is about as undecipherable as poorly-lighted Aramaic, but from what we gather, Volkswagen plans on showing off a new work truck at some point in the near future to go up against the Ford Transit, Mercedes/Dodge Sprinter and Fiat Truckster. From the Google-translated text, all we can gather is that the Crafta Atacama will be powered by five-cylinder TDI, producing approximately 260 ft./lbs. of torque and offer optional four-wheel-drive.

As anyone who has ever examined some of the offerings from the producers of European work-vans, features are what make the market. How many door combinations do you want? What interior accoutrements are on your short list? You name it, they'll normally shove it in somewhere. The Crafta Atacama probably won't be any different, offering a panoramic/sliding glass roof, customizable colors, shields, bumpers, sidesteps, suspension and wheel upgrades.

When, where and how much is all up in the air, but maybe if it floats on over to this continent we can make another appeal to our bean counters.

Click on through for a few more shots.

Continue reading VW Crafter Atacama Concept

VW Crafter Atacama Concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crafta atacamaCraftaAtacamadieseldodge sprinterDodgeSprinterfiat trucksterFiatTrucksterford transitFordTransitmercedestdivolkswagenvwWed, 20 Sep 2006 11:07:00 EST