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Ford is gradually refreshing its light commercial vehicle lineup in Europe, but the US market appears to be sticking with the company’s older products for the time being. In fact, the Transit Connect van’s future is uncertain, as a new report suggests it may be phased out by the end of next year.
According to a new article in Automotive News based on insider information from “three people with knowledge,” Ford has changed its initial plan to build the next-generation Transit Connect in Mexico. The model, codenamed V758, would have been built at Ford’s Hermosillo Assembly Plant in Mexico on the same architecture that underpins the Maverick and Bronco Sport.
The automaker, however, has reportedly changed its mind and decided to discontinue the Transit Connect after 2023, when production for the US market in Mexico will be halted. For the time being, it is unclear whether the van will be replaced directly or whether Ford will simply try to migrate future potential customers to its larger Transit vans. Aside from that, the full-size Transit is now available with an all-electric powertrain.
In Europe, Ford’s LCV strategy is vastly different. The Blue oval company recently introduced a brand new generation Tourneo Connect, which is essentially a rebadged and slightly reengineered version of the Volkswagen Caddy. All of the hardware, including the turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines, is shared between the two. These engines are marketed as EcoBoost and EcoBlue by Ford, but they are essentially Volkswagen’s TSI and TDI four-cylinder engines.
ord is also developing a plug-in hybrid version of the new Tourneo Connect, as well as a cargo version. However, none of these light commercial vehicles appear to be sold in the United States. The new Ranger truck, on the other hand, will be available in the United States, whereas the mechanically related VW Amarok will only be available in Europe.
Source: Automotive News
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