•    Ford fills an unmet U.S. commercial business need with new Transit Connect, an industry-exclusive vehicle specifically developed to be a smart new choice for small business owners
•    Low operating and ownership costs, a fuel-efficient 2.0-liter engine, 135 cubic feet of cargo space, a 1,600 pound payload capacity, available Ford Work Solutions™ technologies and various cargo management systems make Transit Connect a smart solution
•    Transit Connect goes on sale in the U.S. this summer, starting at $21,475, including destination, rated at 22 city, 25 highway EPA miles per gallon
•    Later in 2010, Transit Connect will be available with battery electric power and a useful range close to 100 miles

Chicago, March 3, 2009 – Ford is tapping its global portfolio of products to meet the unique needs of American small business owners with the 2010 Transit Connect, a spacious new fuel-efficient alternative to larger commercial vehicles that’s ideal for navigating U.S. cities.
“Transit Connect is a tangible success of our ‘One Ford’ strategy to harness the best of our global products and offer new choices and solutions to customers in other parts of the world,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas.
“With 40 percent market share, Ford is the reigning Commercial Truck leader in the United States, and we’re looking for Transit Connect to further grow our leadership and allow even more customers to experience the ‘Built Ford Tough’ difference.”
Transit Connect arrives with a global reputation for durability and toughness dating back to its 2003 launch, when an expert jury of European commercial vehicle journalists named it International Van of the Year.
Ford Transit Connect is built on a dedicated front-wheel drive commercial vehicle platform to meet and exceed the needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs. To prepare the Transit Connect for the United States, the powertrain was upgraded to include a proven Duratec 2.0-liter dual-overhead cam (DOHC) I-4 engine – giving 22 city, 25 highway miles per gallon – and a four-speed automatic overdrive transaxle. Several design details, including the grille and interior touches, have been updated to lend the vehicle a fresh, new look for its American debut.
“This workhorse is like nothing available today in the American market,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development. “We’re offering small business owners a real choice to meet their needs, instead of asking them to pull seats out of minivans or compromise on one or more of their needs. Transit Connect is good news for small business owners nationwide.”
As part of Ford’s aggressive new electric vehicle plan to bring pure battery-powered vehicles, hybrids and plug-in hybrids to market, a battery electric-powered Transit Connect will be offered in 2010. The Transit Connect battery electric vehicle will be the initial offering in Ford’s recently announced electrification initiatives.
Ford is working with Smith Electric Vehicles, the European market’s leading battery electric upfitter of commercial vehicles, a part of the U.K.-based Tanfield Group of companies. Since 1920, Smith has converted tens of thousands of commercial vehicles to battery electric-power.
Many commercial users travel predictable, short-range routes, with lots of stop and go in urban and suburban environments. A range of up to 100 miles makes the battery electric-powered Transit Connect a useful hauler, with significantly reduced operation and maintenance costs. For companies aiming for sustainable mobility solutions, it can help them deliver the goods in an environmentally friendly way.

Transit Connect: It’s Global
More than 600,000 Ford Transit Connects have been sold since 2003, to customers in 58 countries on four continents. To fulfill the unmet needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs in the United States, Ford’s Global Product Development team was able to quickly adapt the Transit Connect for the American market, validate its durability and tailor the cargo space for the unique yet diverse needs of small business proprietors.

Transit Connect: It’s Capable
“Transit Connect was developed to bring small business owners a new vehicle choice, offering significantly improved fuel economy, generous and accessible cargo space with the agility and maneuverability to deliver the goods in tight quarters,” said Rob Stevens, chief engineer.
Transit Connect’s capability begins with capacity. With 135 cubic feet of Transit Connect cargo volume, no other vehicle in the American market can deliver this combination of capacity and fuel economy:
•    Split rear cargo doors open at a standard 180 degrees, or an optional 255 degrees
•    Lift-over height is less than two feet, when the Transit Connect is unloaded
•    The cargo area opens up to a maximum of 59.1 inches of floor to ceiling height
•    The load width is 48.1 inches, between the wheel arches
•    Load length is a generous 72.6 inches or more than six feet of cargo floor space
and dual sliding rear side doors provide wide access to the generous cargo space
Transit Connect has more than double the cargo-carrying space of the Chevrolet HHR Panel, making it suitable for a broader range of commercial use applications.
It also offers commercial users a cargo payload of 1,600 pounds – a larger payload than the full size Dodge Ram 1500 standard-cab short-box pickup truck.
“Transit Connect can swallow far more cargo than people might think,” added Stevens.
The Transit Connect's capability story goes beyond capacity. Its size and nimble driving dynamics provide agility for urban routes. Power-assisted rack and pinion steering allows a 39-foot curb-to-curb turning circle assures Transit Connect is maneuverable when delivering the goods for entrepreneurs in tight quarters.
The Transit Connect features a 15.1 gallon fuel tank, providing the useful capability of a highway range of more than 375 miles.

Transit Connect: It’s Adaptable
Ford Transit Connect was conceived, developed and engineered to meet the needs of small business proprietors all over the world. Once it arrives in the U.S. from the plant in Kocaeli, Turkey, Transit Connect can be outfitted for specific needs across a diverse range of users.
Bulkheads, racks, bins and other upfits can be mixed, matched and configured to suit many specific commercial applications and needs. Transit Connect is offered with a wide range of upfitted cargo management options, similar to the enduring, market-leading Ford E-Series commercial vehicles.
Small business owners have numerous Transit Connect configuration choices, with unrivaled commercial application:
•    Transit Connect is available as a cargo van with no windows in the sliding side doors combined with rear cargo door privacy glass....

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