Ford Transit goes to America

This is the Ford Transit Connect Taxi concept, unveiled today at the New York motor show. The Transit Connect has been in the UK since 2003, but it is the first of a number of new European-designed and manufactured models being imported to the American market. The New York concept is “designed to meet the extreme demands of taxi service”. It uses a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine linked to an automatic transmission, and Ford claims that it has 90 per cent lower tailpipe emissions than the average American taxi. It also features a number of hi-tech features designed to make the average cabby's life easier, including a DVD infotainment unit showing the passengers their fare, and a new roof-mounted lighting system designed to make it easier for pedestrians to see if the taxi is available. The acclaimed S-Max and the new Fiesta will be the next European-designed models to make it to the US market; Ford has already made it clear that the transfers are unlikely to stop there.