Autoblog

Ford picks Fiesta ST, Transit Connect as this year's SEMA darlings

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 17:07:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Minivan/Van, Performance, Wagon, Marketing/Advertising, Work, Hatchback, Ford

SEMA is more than nine months away, but the reveille bugle for the show has just sounded with Ford's call to aftermarket companies for its project-vehicle program. The 2014 Ford Fiesta ST and 2014 Transit Connect van and wagon are the cars The Blue Oval wants to feature, but applicants can submit project vehicles for any product except the GT500, the Raptor, or anything from Lincoln.

Submissions must be completed in two parts, the first being an email to Ford with an overview of the project, like vehicle theme, promotional plan and location display. The second part must be mailed in on company letterhead and gets down to the nuts and bolts of the vision and the provision of company bona fides. The complete proposal is due on March 1, winners will be notified by May 1. Click the link below to get all the details, and for show attendees, get ready to see some funky Fiestas and wild shaggin' wagons in Las Vegas come November.

Ford picks Fiesta ST, Transit Connect as this year's SEMA darlings originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Feb 2013 17:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon is as homely as it is hugely practical

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Ford

It ain't a looker, but the Ford Transit Connect Wagon is more functional than a Gobot and has returned the word "mini" to The Blue Oval's van selection. Ford is screaming from the Transit Connect Wagon's optional panoramic roof that it's "anticipating up to" 30 highway miles per gallon for buyers choosing the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine. The other powerplant choice is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, both connected to a six-speed transmission.

Smaller families can go with the five-seater version, while the seven-seater will be available on a longer wheelbase for larger clans. Trims are XL, XLT and the familiar Titanium, all of them boasting sliding side doors, fold-flat second and third rows and payload capacities beyond 1,200 pounds. There are two rear-entry options to boot, either a rear liftgate or side-hinged cargo doors if you insist on being reminded of the commercial roots of your minivan.

The five-seater is in the high-res gallery above, the seven-seater in the one below, with both demonstrating that it's the beauty inside that matters most.

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon is as homely as it is hugely practical originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Nov 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford shows off 2014 Transit Connect Wagon, confirms cargo model for Detroit

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:33:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, LA Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Work, Ford

On the heels of revealing the all-new 2014 Transit Connect Wagon this morning, Ford officials confirmed to Autoblog that its work-ready cargo counterpart will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Just like the Wagon, the cargo van will be offered in both short- and long-wheelbase variants and be able to handle payloads up to 1,200 pounds.

During an event held today at the company's Product Review Center in Dearborn, Michigan, Ford's marketing manager of commercial vehicles, Tim Stoehr, explained the strategy behind the new Transit Connect Wagon. Much like how we've seen consumers downsizing to smaller vehicles over the past few years, Ford firmly believes that buyers in the minivan segment are also looking to downsize. Thus, the Transit Connect Wagon is more of a true minivan than just about anything else on the market, and Ford believes the two-wheelbase strategy (with five- and seven-passenger configurations) will make its new van appealing to a wide range of consumers. That said, Stoehr expects the take rate on the two models to be about 80/20 - the majority going with the seven-passenger, long-wheelbase configuration.

The 2014 Transit Connect Wagon will be the least-expensive seven-passenger vehicle in the United States, coming in "thousands less than the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey."

Stoehr did not confirm pricing for either model, but said that the 2014 Transit Connect Wagon will be the least-expensive seven-passenger vehicle in the United States, coming in "thousands less than the Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey." The Mazda5, which starts at $20,420 including delivery fees, only seats six.

Looking back to the introduction of Ford's other new people-mover, the C-Max, the automaker was originally scheduled to launch a seven-passenger version, complete with sliding doors and traditional gas powertrains. When asked about why Ford decided to shift this sort of vehicle over to the Transit Connect line, Hau Thai-Tang, Ford's vice president of global engineering for global product development, told Autoblog that the decision was based on the fact that Ford wanted to have one nameplate in its US product portfolio solely dedicated to electrified vehicles. That, and the seven-passenger C-Max (better known as the Grand C-Max) didn't offer nearly as much interior volume as the Transit Connect. To that end, Thai-Tang confirmed that a hybrid version of the Transit Connect is not on the table.

Ford also confirmed that, just like the current-generation Transit Connect, the new model will not be affected by the so-called "chicken tax" that applies to cargo vans built outside of the US. The 2014 Transit Connect will be built in Valencia, Spain.

When Ford launches the 2014 Transit Connect Wagon near the end of 2013, it will be available in the buyer's choice of either a 2.5-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder or a 1.6-liter EcoBoost four, both coming standard with six-speed automatic transmissions. The 2014 Transit Connect Wagon will officially bow at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.

Ford shows off 2014 Transit Connect Wagon, confirms cargo model for Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon brings minivans back to the Blue Oval

Zach Bowman — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Ford

It's been a minute since there was a minivan in Ford showrooms, but that's about to change. The automaker has unveiled its 2014 Transit Connect Wagon built for families looking for a more functional alternative to the world's ever-growing fleet of SUVs and crossovers. Powered by either a 2.5-liter four-cylinder or an EcoBoost 1.6-liter four pot, the front-drive Transit Connect Wagon may be had in one of two wheelbase configurations. That means there are both five and seven-seat variants, and both will offer fold-flat seating for more than 100 cubic feet of cargo area. In addition, Ford says its commercial-van-turned-people-mover can be configured to tow up to 2,000 pounds.

The EPA has yet to release fuel economy estimates for the 2014 Transit Connect Wagon, but Ford believes the vehicle will return better than 30 mpg highway when equipped with its EcoBoost engine. Both powerplants are bolted to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Ford currently sells about 35,000 Transit Connect units per year, and the new Wagon variant should bolster that figure by expanding the vehicle to family-minded. Check out the full press release below for more information. Look for the 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon to land on dealer lots in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Continue reading 2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon brings minivans back to the Blue Oval

2014 Ford Transit Connect Wagon brings minivans back to the Blue Oval originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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