Small Business Owners Like New Transit Connect's Size

Roomy, agile, quick and economical, the Transit Connect is the right type of van for many jobs, Ford Motor Co. executives declare, and they've got small business owners on their side. Hundreds of them told product planners they liked the TC's size and its ability to haul people as well as cargo.

Ford recently hosted a series of ride-and-drive events in cities across the country to show the van and introduce reporters to business folks whose opinions were sought during the product-planning process. Those we met in Royal Oak, Mich., and Los Angeles said they'd probably buy one. If every one of the hundreds of thousands of truck-using business people in the U.S. does the same, Ford'll have a hit on its hands.

In Royal Oak, a Detroit suburb, Ford introduced reporters to a wholesale florist, a food caterer and a home remodeler. Those in Los Angeles rode to a gourmet cake bakery, a picture framing gallery and a special event florist. All currently run larger, heavier vans, but said the new Ford van is the right size for a lot of their delivery work.

The Transit Connect, just now arriving at Ford dealers, was designed in the Old World, where many streets are narrow and crooked and gasoline and diesel have been dear for decades. It's built in Turkey, a friendly Mideast country, and has a powertrain familiar to any American who's owned a front-drive sedan or minivan with a transverse four-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. Customers in 53 countries have bought more than 600,000 Transit Connects since its introduction in 2002, Ford says. The manufacturer currently has plans to ship about 600 to the West Coast.

Ford says the van is built for work, but has light capability. "They don't have to compromise anymore," said Len Deluca, director of commercial truck sales and marketing. A TC is roughly 2 feet shorter and weighs about 1,500 pounds less than an E-150 van, which it will complement in the Ford lineup. The TC's roof is 59 inches high in the cargo area, which also measures 48 inches wide by 72 inches deep, for a volume of 135.3 cubic feet. Its floor sits less than 2 feet off the pavement for easy loading and unloading, and its rear and side doors allow excellent access. With a fold-down rear seat it can carry up to five people and still a goodly amount of cargo, for a total payload of 1,600 pounds.

"It would be good for smaller loads," said Mark Naimy, co-owner of Import Connections, which sells imported and locally grown flowers to super markets and retail florists in southern Michigan and northern Ohio. Aside from its automotive prowess, Naimy liked the TC's ability to generate invoices using an in-dash PC and wireless printer; these are part of the optional Ford Work Solutions electronic tools introduced on other trucks last year.

"A lot of our trips are to get items that somehow weren't included in the first run," said Craig Mangold of Holiday Market, which sells gourmet and specialty foods and caters weddings, meetings and other events. "Or we get there and find out we need some additional items. This would be ideal for those trips."

The vehicle is the right size to haul products and supplies for remodeling jobs, said Tim Horton, owner of Royal Oak (Mich.) Kitchen & Bath. He and his workers haul cabinets, appliances, lumber, tile, grout, glue and tools in two Chevy passenger vans, and a Transit Connect's spacious cargo area would be well suited to that work. Its otherwise compact dimensions make the van look ecologically "green," and the Ford badge makes it appear "local." Horton said he'd probably buy a window version with a folding rear seat. The optional rear seats offer a good option for those who use the vehicle for business during the week and for personal use on the weekends.

A basic TC comes as a panel van with windowless sliding side doors and rear "barn" doors with darkened glass. A buyer can keep or delete the rear glass, and can spec windows in the side doors and rear-quarter panels. The customer can also choose a windowed wagon version with a rear seat that accommodates three people and folds up to expand cargo space. Ford has partnered with three upfitters to offer a wide array of shelving, cabinets, boxes and other storage arrangements.

Up front are two bucket seats flanking a small console that houses the shift selector and rises to form an arm rest. A businesslike instrument panel includes a speedometer, tachometer and the usual engine-temperature and fuel gauges. A handy package shelf above the big windshield can hold all manner of items, including the wireless keyboard for the Ford Work Solutions on-board PC. Tool inventorying, vehicle tracking and recording operating numbers for later maintenance are among the capabilities of the electronic options.

The van's maneuverability was also attractive to small business owners, especially those making their way through the busy streets of Los Angeles. With the Transit Connect, David Lally of Treefrogs Flowers is not worried about getting through the small spaces and narrow roads of the Hollywood hills, where the store makes the bulk of its deliveries. Event attendees had the opportunity to put the van's maneuverability to the test, driving through a twisty, coned course, not to mention Rodeo Drive.

The small van has a sporty feel and drives that way. It's similar to Chevrolet's HHR Panel - a direct competitor - and Chrysler's PT Cruiser. But the Transit Connect is larger and, Ford reps insist, built from the bottom up as a truck. It feels very stout, and the near-new examples at the ride-and-drive were rattle-free. Ford says the Transit Connect has been rigorously tested, successfully operated overseas, and will last many years here.

The TC's powertrain - a 2-liter, gasoline-powered 136-horsepower Duratec inline-4 and 4-speed automatic transmission - delivers 22 to 25 mpg, Ford says. That's maybe 5 to 10 mpg better than the hefty V-8s that propel most full-size vans.

"The mileage is going to be very beneficial for us," said Suzi Finer, marketing director for Hansen's Cakes in Los Angeles. "It'll make a huge difference to our bottom line." Owner Patrick Hansen, a Ford enthusiast, carefully hauls gourmet cakes around town in two Ford Windstars circa early 1980s, driving about 100,000 miles a year.

With its 15.4-gallon gasoline tank, a TC should go about 500 miles between fill-ups and about 7,500 miles between services, Ford says. For operations that keep trucks closer to home, sometime next year Ford will have a battery-electric version developed by Smith Electric that'll go 100 miles between plug-ins. Meanwhile, the Transit Connect's abilities and a starting price of $21,475 could well make it the "game changer" that executives think it is.