Ford’s new Transit Connect van has been unveiled at the Hannover CV Show and is available to buy now.
The slightly more compact sibling to the Transit uses more fuel efficient engines than the previous Connect, promising even stronger running costs for commercial vehicle users.
Buyers can choose between a single?litre EcoBoost petrol engine or the new 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel engine with one of three power outputs.
Both units come linked to a six speed manual gearbox as standard, but adding the optional eight-speed automatic transmission can optimise fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions by up to 12 per cent.
The 1.5-litre diesel is being offered with three different power outputs: 75PS delivering fuel efficiency from 60.1mpg and 124g/km CO2 emissions, 100PS (60.1mpg, 123g/km), and finally, 120PS (56.4mpg, 130g/km).
Meanwhile, the one-litre EcoBoost petrol brings cylinder deactivation technology to the Transit range for the first time.
This clever little feature helps reduce fuel usage by turning off some of the engine’s cylinders when the van is stuck in stop-start traffic. This means the petrol Transit Connect can achieve a fuel return upwards of 44.1mpg and CO2 emissions from 146g/km.
Commercial vehicle operators can choose between short and long wheelbases and various load volumes topping out at 3.6m3 (VDA), while payload capacity ranges from 410kg to 900kg. Additionally, body styles include van, kombi and double-cab-in-van.
A new variant – the Transit Connect Sportvan – adds a dose of style by including an exterior styling kit, signature matt black sports stripes with silver or orange accents and 16-inch dark stainless alloy wheels.
This increases the number of Ford’s Sportvans to four, joining the Fiesta Van, Transit Courier and Transit Custom Sport models.