Ford Connect wins International Van of Year 2003
3 December 2002: When it comes to breaking news, we at Irishcar.com are on the front row of the grid. That's why this is the first place you'll read about the Ford Connect winning the prestigious International Van of the Year Award for 2003.
Making it two wins in three years, Transit won the title in 2001, Transit Connect goes on sale here in January. The starting price, expected close to the E18,000 euro mark, is for an entry level LWB high roof version.
Capable of taking two full europallets in certain configurations, the LWB model offers a load length of 1986 mm, a 900 kg payload and a load cube of 3.67 cu.m, or 4.36 cu.m with the fold-flat passenger seat option.
Power comes with a choice of two diesel engines, a 75 PS 1.8 TDdi and a 1.8TDCi Duratorq common rail diesel unit of the same displacement putting out 90PS.
Though the front suspension system is adopted from the Ford Focus (the best handling car on the road today) Transit Connect is built on a unique, dedicated commercial vehicle platform - ensuring 'strength and durability without compromise.'
Toughness along with loadbox functionality and 'unrivalled' versatility are the main buzz words coming from Ford.
"An ideal workhorse for vast numbers of van users, Transit Connect will, Eddie Murphy (above), chairman and managing director, Ford Ireland, told us during the European launch in mid-summer, "grow the medium commercial market segment by over 20 per cent."
Ford see most of Transit Connect sales coming from traditional Fiat Scudo, Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert and Hyundai H100 buyers - and with the segment opened by the demise of the Vanette - it's certain to gain conquest sales from Nissan as well.
Transit Connect is expected to make an bigger impression on the market when the second half of the range, the SWB standard roof variant, arrives towards the back end of the year - boasting a payload spread from 625 to 825 kg and a capacity of 2.8 cubic metres.
When it arrives late next year, the SWB version will compete in the more lucrative Combo or Cube van sector of the market which accounted for 9,104 unit sales in Ireland last year. Citroen Berlingo, Renault Kangoo, Opel Combo and Peugeot Partner buyers are seen as its main target.
This is the second time Transit Connect has been singled out for a 'Best Van' award. Within days of it going on sale in the UK (where they took delivery of the van in September, the all-new Transit Connect was presented with the Van Of the Year Award for 2002 by What Van? magazine. The Transit family newcomer also winning their Best Light Van and Best Security for Light Vans.
Recent International Van of the Year Award winners include: Opel Vivaro / Renault Trafic 2002, Ford Transit 2001, Iveco Daily 2000, Opel Astra 1999, Renault Master 1998. Citroen Berlingo / Peugeot Partner 1997, and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1995.
