Autoblog

Click above for more shots of the Ford Transit Taxi.

Our new favorite friend Chris sent us over a handful of shots showing a Ford Transit Connect done up in taxi livery. The black and yellow people mover was apparently caught during a photo shoot in the Big Apple, possibly ahead of its official unveiling next week during the New York Auto Show. While it's hard to make out what mods have been done to the interior, the exterior's revised paint scheme and lettering has a decidedly futuristic feel. We definitely like the idea of a Transit shuttling city-goers around Gotham, and judging by the paint scheme, the 21st century taxis we envisioned in our youth aren't too far off.

The Chicago Auto Show wasn't that eventful, but that's what we lead off Autoblog Podcast episode #87 with. The Challenger was the biggest deal, followed by the Denali XT, and then a bunch of inconsequential things. We did find ourselves talking about the Suzuki Equator and the Ford Transit Connect, too. We give you our first up close and personal impressions of the Challenger SRT-8 in this podcast. We also saw the VW Routan, which certainly doesn't conjure warm, fuzzy memories of Type IIs gone by. Chevy's Traverse calls into question the usefulness of Saturn's Outlook in the product lineup. Speaking of GM badge-engineering, we got word this week that Pontiac will not be getting a Trans Am companion to the Camaro, dang. Another disappointment is the rumor that Cerberus is going to let the Viper run down without rewinding the clock for a third generation. We wrap up by touching on the possibility that an Indian pickup could be the first diesel hybrid in the US, even though it's not even being imported yet, and we're sure that when it gets here, it'll generate even more hate than the new Acura RL. 42 minutes, that's it. Sorry it's a little late this week, it's all Alex's fault, I swear.

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Glomming onto a Federal program in the 1970s meant to spur the development of more accessible buses, DeLorean Motor Corporation saw a potential revenue stream. Not that the DMC 80 had anything to do with their now cult-classic sports car, it wouldn't have even been built by DMC. An example of how badge engineering and pimping platforms has been going on forever in the automotive business, DeLorean was essentially planning on affixing the DMC badge to buses from Germany's FFG.

Like the DMC-12, success was not to be had. The Urban Mass Transit Administration's (now Federal Transit Administration) Transbus program was cancelled in 1981 after several years of floundering. DMC couldn't continue to devote resources to the effort, so they abandoned the licensing effort and scrapped a proposal for a bus assembly plant in New York, too. While DeLorean may be little more than a passing curiosity in automotive history, the fact that they got an automobile into production and on the market means that there are plenty of enthusiasts looking for any remaining vestiges of the company. The nature of launching an automotive enterprise also means that there's a ton of material to be strip-mined on eBay. If you find this little footnote in DeLorean's history as fascinating as we do, you can pony up bids and get your hands on a small trove of goodies like blueprints to the non-starter bus plant, a brochure for the DMC 80, and a random DeLorean certificate of achievement. Our favorite item, though, is the memo from John DeLorean to Bill Haddad, essentially saying "call this guy, he can help us, oh yeah, he was also convicted of fraud."

[Source: eBay via Winding Road]

Click image for photo gallery

The annual Commercial Vehicle Show in Blighty is one of our favorite things, specifically because our inner children never stopped liking big trucks , and the manufacturers actually unveil cool stuff at the show. Exhibit A comes from Ford, which pulled the wraps off the limited-edition Transit SportVan. Powered by a 130-horse diesel, the bespoilered SportVan is targeted at the small business owner who wants to deliver his or her goods in style, hence the Performance Blue paint, Le Mans stripes, and 18" alloys. Inside, it's driver rolls along in leather seats, with creature comforts like additional leather appointments, a CD changer, A/C, rain-sensing wipers, and more all included in the deal. Only 500 will be built. Full details from Ford come after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

As previously reported, Ford intends to begin sharing both platforms and vehicles, originally developed for Europe, with the U.S. We've already been informed that the Transit Connect, a small commercial vehicle, is headed our way, but during an interview with Automotive News, FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally hinted at the prospect of bringing over the Mondeo sedan and S-Max people mover.

Both you and most of the Autoblog staff have been smitten by the Mondeo's style, but the question remains: where will it fit in? The sedan would directly compete with the Ford Fusion, so the possibility of moving the Mondeo up market and slapping a Mercury badge on it is one possibility.

As for the S-Max: most will agree that the people mover segment is in desperate need of a makeover. While minivan sales remain stagnant and consumers move on from the SUV-craze, there would seem to be a market for a nicely designed, well-equipped vehicle that can hold the kids and the prerequisite soccer supplies.

If and when all this would come to fruition is up in the air, but if Ford decided to make this kind of move, we wouldn't expect much before 2009.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Perhaps taking a note from DaimlerChrysler's playbook, Ford will reportedly be importing a version of the Ford Transit Connect commercial vehicle to be sold in the United States. DaimlerChrysler began selling the Sprinter commercial van in the U.S. around 2004, and has enjoyed success selling it to large corporations that need workhorse fleet vehicles with large, enclosed cargo spaces. The Turkish news website Sabah is reporting that the Transit Connect destined for our shores will be built in Turkey at Ford's Kocaeli facilities until production of the commercial van begins in the U.S. around 2009.

More info after jump.

Thanks for the tip, Igor!

[Source: Sabah]

click either image to view high resolution gallery

The new Ford Transit was crowned as the 2007 International Van of the Year back in September, which set Ford of Europe's team into motion to create two special one-offs to celebrate the honor. The first is the Transit XXL, a bespoke limousine created by joining two short-wheelbase Transit Tourneo models. Despite being over 24 feet long, the Transit XXL seats only seven people, but just imagine the kind of leg room each passenger enjoys. Entry into the vehicle can be accomplished through one of four full-size sliding doors, and the XXL was made a right-hand drive model, not just because it was developed in Europe, but also because livery drivers will find themselves on the right side of the vehicle when pulling up curbside to drop off passengers.

The second vehicle is an updated version of the Transit Connect X-PRESS, a high performance version of the Transit that was originally developed in 2004. The Ford of Europe team has updated the X-PRESS to reflect the van's redesign, though the vehicle still retains the running gear from the 2004 Ford Focus RS, which includes a 212-hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter engine, five-speed stick and limited-slip differential. The X-PRESS can reach 60 mph in less than seven seconds and top out at 130 mph, which is not too bad for a commercial van.

Check out Ford's official release on each vehicle after the jump and high-resolution images in our gallery.

[Source: Ford of Europe]

Click to enlarge

The Ford Transit has for decades been the standard working horse of Europe and much of the rest of the world – the F-150 for our friends across the pond. The versatile work-a-day hauler was recently named Van of the Year by a pan-European panel of automotive journalists. (Why didn't they ask us? Just 'cause we can't find "Yurp" on a map doesn't mean we don't have an opinion!)

Ford's upping the ante and making a versatile vehicle even more versatile by offering the van now with four-wheel-drive. Mated to a 140-hp 2.4-liter turbodiesel through a six-speed floor-shifter, Ford expects the surefooted Transit to find its way into the garages of police departments, park rangers and rescue workers (among others) who'll undoubtedly find its enhanced capability to make for a handy tool.

(Press release, hires pics after the jump after the jump)

[Source: Ford UK]