[資訊] 2010 Ford Transit Connect

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This wasn’t what we were expecting for a “first drive” experience.Instead of being let loose on Metro Detroit’s highways and byways, wewere given a carefully planned route in and around the quaint town ofRoyal Oak and were told to make pit stops at three different businessesalong the way. We talked with a catering company, kitchen and bathremodeling shop, and florist supply service about the ways in which theTransit Connect could be a useful tool for small companies who normallyhad to rely on large cargo vans (Dodge Sprinter, Ford E-Series) orlight-duty trucks for their shipping and delivery services. The TransitConnect’s small size, low price point ($21,475 MSRP), andeasy-to-maneuver qualities make it a great solution for businesseslooking to affordably haul. And the icing on the cake? The little Fordvan is pretty good to drive, too.
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Aside from some minor U.S.-spec tweaks, the Transit Connect you seehere is essentially the same vehicle that has been on sale in othermarkets since late 2002. In that time, the TC has garnered the praiseof the Global automotive press, even winning the International Van ofthe Year award. And now the Transit Connect comes to North America,boasting 135.3 of usable cargo space, 1600 pounds of payload capacity,and not-too-shabby fuel economy numbers of 22 miles per gallon in thecity and 25 mpg highway.
Powering the Transit Connect is Ford’s Duratec 2.0-liter inline-fourfrom the Focus, mated solely to a four-speed automatic transmission.This engine only cranks out 136 horsepower and 128 pound-feet oftorque, but even when driven with the maximum payload, the Connectstill felt peppy and eager to run about town. It’s no rocketship, andthe engine does sound rather coarse, but it’s still a pretty spiritedlittle vehicle to scoot around in. Besides, if this van is supposed tobe an attractive sell to businesses, it doesn’t need to have sports carperformance, just point-A-to-point-B usability. In other markets, theTransit Connect is available with a turbo-diesel engine and a manualtransmission, and when we asked Ford about the potential of oil-burningexamples making their way Stateside, the executives simply shook theirheads and changed the topic. The big powertrain news, however, is thatthe Transit Connect will be sold as a battery electric vehicle (BEV)starting late next year—Ford’s first all-electric product—capable ofgoing up to 100 miles on a single charge and able to hit speeds up to70 miles per hour.
In all other aspects of driving, there’s nothing terribly excitingabout the Transit Connect, but it still moves down the road with decentpoise. The steering feel is nicely weighted and the little van is quiteeasy to maneuver. Ford boasts that the TC has a 39-foot curb-to-curbturning circle, and after piloting our test car through a series offigure-eight exercises, we don’t think anyone will have trouble makingtheir way through tight city streets and alleys. The braking feel is abit soft, though this is probably a good thing for those haulingprecious cargo. All in, the Transit Connect doesn’t offer any sort ofunique driving feel, but we still enjoyed it immensely.

Obviously, the big story here is work-oriented utility, and that’swhere the Transit Connect really shines. The optional Ford WorkSolutions interface houses everything from an on-board computer withe-mail, a remote desktop interface, and even a wireless printer to theCrew Chief system which allows business fleet managers to track thestatistics of each vehicle (tire pressure, oil life, etc.) in theirpool. There’s even a Tool Link feature in which a driver can tag all oftheir work necessities and scan the vehicle when they’re done at a jobsite to make sure everything is accounted for. Try doing that with yourSprinter.
Customers will have their choice of three body styles. The panel vanand cargo van are essentially the same—a cage behind the front seatswith no side windows and a flat load floor, though the cargo van comeswith windows on the rear doors. In either case, rear parking sensorsare available to aid with the lack of visibility. In wagonconfiguration, a second-row bench is added, as well as side windows,perfect for consumers who don’t need the Transit Connect to be strictlybusiness. The seats themselves are rather comfortable and supportive,and only available in cloth upholstery. The rest of the interior ismade up of hard, gray plastics, but given the TC’s work-oriented focus,this doesn’t bother us at all. Everything inside feels well-built andreally solid.
What Ford has done here is give America a compact, useful van whichcan be outfitted to meet the needs of nearly anyone looking for utilityon the cheap. It looks good, drives quite well, and offers a host oftechnological gadgets that will be very useful to all sorts ofbusinesses. We hope Ford sells billions of these things.