Ford Transit van coming to America as Kansas City-built T-Series

NYC SPRINTERS

New member
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/05/ford-transit-van-coming-to-america-as-kansas-city-built-t-series/




When Daimler started selling its Sprinter van in North America – first as a Freightliner, then as a Mercedes-Benz and even a Dodge – it found companies on this side of the Atlantic were as keen to get their hands on a European-style van as, well, European companies are. But the Sprinter is about to get some European competition from... an American automaker.

That Ford makes certain products for overseas markets is nothing new, but as part of its drive to standardize its lineup around the world, the Blue Oval automaker is apparently planning on bringing its full-size Transit van Stateside.

Not only is it bringing the Transit to the American market, but it will also be building it here, too. The news is confirmed by a recent United Auto Workers announcement that reveals that, with production of the next-generation Escape moving to Louisville, Kentucky, the Transit will be assembled for local consumption alongside the F-150 pickup truck at the Kansas City plant.

According to Car and Driver sources, in order to avoid confusion with the smaller Transit Connect, the big van will be badged as a T-Series in this market, with nameplates like T-250, T-450 and T-550 – similar to the F-Series trucks, and more pertinently, the E-Series vans that used to be known as the Econoline
 

Mrdi

Active member
In line, 5 cylinder,6 speed manual?
Quality?
Does the Blue Oval have a reputation for quality in Europe?
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
In line, 5 cylinder,6 speed manual?
Quality?
Does the Blue Oval have a reputation for quality in Europe?
4/inline manual and to hell with a girls transmission 6 speed manual.
Less issues than Mercedes had since the introduction of the NCV
What you get built in the USA wont be European so time will tell.
Reliable as a Mercedes LHM are almost non existent. as to lesser electronics involved.
Richard
 

jdcaples

Not Suitable w/220v Gen
Does the Blue Oval have a reputation for quality in Europe?
Many of my coworkers in the UK drive Ford cars. I have a friend that worked for Ford until he retired. Ford's reputation for quality has been excellent. Hertz used them more than they do in the US, it seemed to me, last time I was there.

All non-van drivers seem to hate white van men. There's a pub in Norwich that had a sign on the entry way in 2003 which said, "No white van men."

-Jon
PS: if Ford does it right, it'll kill the GM van production entirely.
 
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gary 32

07 ncv3 pv
Jon, not an issue for me I never want another white vehicle.

I would however like a choice for my next van.

So please bring the Fiat, Ford, Mercedes, Renault, Chinese, Japanese and Korean Sprinter versions and you better make them here, we need the work.
 

Graphite Dave

Dave Orton
It will be interesting to see what options Ford decides to offer. I do not understand why they do not offer a manual transmission on the Connect or the diesel engine. A small van like the Connect that would get over 40 mpg would be a slam dunk decision for a business. So we may not have the choices that would make us abandon the Sprinter for something more reliable and less expensive to buy and maintain.
 

NYC SPRINTERS

New member
i think that ford and Mercedes will not allow people in USA to drive vans with manual transmission we are being told what to drive!!! how to drive and they will chose for us what kind of transmission we want!!! i would love to have my sprinter with mannual transmission and i'm not the only one!!!
 

knighty

Member
whatever you do.... don't buy one !

in the uk, they're fitted with an engine designed for a car (for mondeo) and it hasn't had enough changes made to it to make it strong enough for a van.... an engine swap every 100k is expected unless you drive in a very relaxed manor and don't carry much weight

(most people in the uk drive fast, and carry a lot of weight)

the dual mass flywheels don't last as long as they should - most people have them swapped out to an old fashioned solid flywheel when they have the clutch changed

the bell housing/starter motor design/positioning is bad... all the dust from the clutch etc.. is blown straight into the starter motor...

egr valves don't last long (depending on driving style, some people only get 50k out of each one!)

in the uk, the inline4 runs between 85hp and up to 145hp, there's also an inline5 which is 200hp

and... and... and... too many other problems to list !!!


a few years ago... a transit was the easy choice.... they ran forever, and were cheap to run... didn't matter what you threw at them they just kept running (the mk1 mk2 mk3 mk4 and mk5 vans)... but those new ones (mk6 and mk7) are no good at all :-(

the changes between mk6 and mk7 is pretty much just a facelift... I'm assuming you'll get the mk8 in the US... it comes out over here in 2012 iirc... and also looks like just another facelift...

5 years ago I wouldn't buy anything but a transit, and laughed at people with other vans ! now I'd never buy another :(
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
NYC.... LOL... That's what Chrysler said when the sprinter was first introduced into the states..Quote we know what the public wants. as to auto and bigger engines and wider wheels.
All a big giggle elsewhere.
PS be preempted to spend dollars on Rust control the down side of a Ford Transit.
[FORD.. Fond Of Rusty Days.img-20110801-00090.jpg (JPEG Image, 1944x2592 pixels)
Best of Luck as a Ford Transit owner I know where the weak points are, the question is will Ford do anything about it stateside.:hmmm:
Richard
 
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Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Richard: What are the weak points? Since you own both, you are our expert on the subject. Please educate us.
Dave in the land down under where everything costs half as much as any where else life goes on.:smilewink:
The base rate of za Mercedes sprinter v a Ford transit is 10 thousand dollars . So Ford has a captive lead with a lot of folk who are only interested in cost as to the bottom line of a dollar. The Ford in my opinion on a 3 series is as reliable as the Sprinters , Ford has almost no electronic issues. Where the Sprinter has many especially with recalls, although in stating this the NCV recalls are low considering the many model variants available. ESP is standard Sprinters.Ford has an optional ABS pack available it's cheap at AU$ 1200.00..not many take the offer up.
Options for a Ford are limited as they are sold primarily as a work horse. Sprinters dominate and rule with the option packs.
Fords typically as always have little rust proofing..worthy of note. yes the body part of is galvanized, but as for cavity wax and under body sound deadening, and wax protection is zero.
Suspension is rusting on delivery, again the US Fords are notorious for lack of under-body rust protection as is the UK designed made in Turkey.
Front suspension is more like a sedan but it woks well as to Fords wide track steering front and rear. like when GM introduced the wide track steering on the 1965 Pontiac back in 1965
Wind screen voids rust fast, if the valleys are not not kept clear of dirt. I'd give a Ford two years in Utah and New York as to being write offs where salt and acid rain would destroy them.
Front end impact safety 3 stars:thumbdown: Mercedes 5 stars:thumbup: as Mercedes offers a better design.
Paint on the Fords are good no problems, but again no issues on Sprinters either.
Inside van height is an illusion as Ford vans have a floor plan with a higher center of gravity.
As an example a standard flat top sprinter v a Ford mid roof sprinter ..Ford is three inches higher than the my sprinter internally , they are wider by a few inches.
Engines are great 30 MPG no v6 available a lot of front end work would be required to fit a Cosworth alloy V6 Ford has no technology as to a gas direct injection system. This is an Australian design:tongue:
FORD USA is spending five billion on new plants, , so my guess is Ford Transits in the US will be a stand alone model should be interesting to see what ford does with them as for rust don't expect Ford to do much with them.
With my transvestite I did add an extra h/D rear steel rusty springs and replated all of the side axle brake components at an cost of four thousand dollars to handle its 4.2 GVM as I hate dual wheel rims on any vehicle.
The van is contracted out, I'd still by a Mercedes over a Ford in flash if it was for my personal use.
Ford USA will enhance the competition for Mercedes sales. But they will sell as Fords are Forged on a rainy day. and are Full of rusty dents:lol: Richard
 

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