Ford Concept Introduces New Platforms
Ford of Europe will debut a commercial vehicle concept next month at the Geneva International Motor Show that will serve as the introduction of a new line of people-movers and commercial vehicles for markets in Europe and Asia.
The Ford Tourneo Custom Concept follows the same design language used in the automaker’s passenger cars, including the bold, trapezoidal grille and muscular shoulder line. It sports 18-inch alloy wheels and front-end LED lighting.
Inside, the driver-oriented cockpit includes Sync, a backup camera integrated into the rearview mirror and leather seats with cloth inserts — features that give the vehicle a carlike appeal. The concept can seat up to eight, and the rear seats can be folded into multiple configurations or even removed, allowing for personal or business use.
“One look at the Tourneo Custom Concept is enough to tell you that it will inject an exciting new spirit into the personal use segment,” Stephen Odell, Ford of Europe’s chairman and CEO, said in a statement. "Our forthcoming new range gives us the opportunity to appeal to new customers with a fresh, new direction, and we have seized that opportunity with both hands.
“The Tourneo Custom’s carlike qualities will be appreciated by a broad range of business and leisure customers, and this is a fitting venue to present the vehicle for the first time.”
The front-wheel-drive Tourneo Custom Concept is powered by Ford’s 2.2-liter Duratorq TDCi diesel engine that makes 153 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. All versions will be paired with a six-speed manual transmission. The engine will have auto start/stop technology standard.
The Tourneo is only the first vehicle in a new range of people-movers with one-ton commercial vehicles to follow; the complete lineup will be revealed later this year. “The imminent arrival of an all-new people mover and van is an exciting moment for us,” said Barry Gale, chief engineer at Ford of Europe. “The new model gives us plenty to talk about, and we look forward to sharing more details very soon.”
We should note this paticular concept is not the Ford Transit that is coming to the U.S. for the 2013 model year; that vehicle will be a heavier-duty rear-drive version and the direct replacement for the aged E-Series vans.
Comments
Ugly ! Businesses and family holiday haulers want the full size Econoline.Euro type vans dont sell in the United States or Canada !
Econoline is the best selling full size van,especially since Dodge stopped production in 2004 of its full size Ram van and the replacement Sprinter was a sales dud as will this Euro Ford will be.
Ford is good for getting rid of its good selling vehicles,the Ranger is the worlds best selling compact truck,Econoline is the best selling Van,GM will now own the full size van market.
Fords deal with the government,they got hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to have smaller vehicles.Ford got taxpayer monies and it allowed them to bring over European Ford vehicles into America instead of having Americans design and build them from the ground up here...Festiva is a Euro Ford as it Focus,Transit..the Mexican made Fusion has many Euro parts based on Euro Ford's ect...
Maybe all of the auto media should just stop showing us stuff from other countries. They have some really cool cars in Europe and would love to see them in the states.
But no not the China rip off of the F150. If they hit the states I think all Ford owners need to gather around them and laugh.
Not sure about the Ford above, but in my business we do have a need for a cargo van with great mpg that can hold a 8ft tube, and 2-4 people.
Ford is just going to have European vehicles running around,next they will have Chinese F-150's...or the F-150 will be replaced with the Euro Ranger lol !
With the Econoline going away ,its replacement is a Euro van and its sales are going going gone away,bye bye Ford you are the next to fail ,and when you do no bailouts for you ,you will be liquidated to the Chinese !!
Ford thinks this Euro clunker is going to sell,Chrysler minivans are the best sellers around,even V.W knows Chrysler minivans are the best sellers and they use a Chrysler as their V.W minivan as they know euro vans dont sell in America !
For people that dont know the Volkswagen Routan is built by Chrysler and is all Chrysler,just a different front grill,hood,and tail lights.
Is their a new van every month?
glad it's staying over sea yuck!!
The U.S. Transit looks significantly different from this version. I think you're going to like it when you see it later this year.
wow every new ford design have the same front focus look,imagine the next pickup....
@miath
Very funny. Imagine the streets filled with that.
@Mike Levine
That’s good to know. We may be looking at adding one to our fleet. Thanks for looking in on us.
Not available here, dont care. Cute looking though, kinda like a hamster.
The Ford Tourneo Custom will compete against the likes of the Hyundai ILOAD, Parcel delivery and Personal van and the Toyota Hi Ace in Asia and other markets. They are all small diesels with roughly a 2,300-2500lb payload.
http://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/112435008/TOYOTA_Hiace_SGL.jpg
In Europe it would be competeing against the Renault Trafic, People mover and light van
http://www.ukandeuropetravel.com/images/car_lease/renault/2009/trafic/t3.jpg
and also the Volkswagen Caravelle.
http://www.carsguide.com.au/images/uploads/volkswagen_caravelle.jpg
My blood runs blue but I have not been happy with Ford's "design language" lately. The Focus has always been uglier than the Escort it replaced and when the "new" Focus arrived a couple years ago it was ugly but ok for a compact car. Ford's decision to make EVERY vehicle they build look like a Focus was a horrible idea. This van and the new Escape are proof that not all designs are scalable. As long as these designers keep FAR away from the truck department I guess it doesn't matter much to me what they do with the rest of the lines.
I still say there may be a small delivery market out there that would dive on this. Should be interesting to see how it will do if it comes here.
All of Fords passenger cars have adopted European styling so why not the vans?
They certainly do sell and they sell like hotcakes. Just look at Sprinter.
They just look so top heavy to me like they're going to tip over if you take a curve too fast but aside from that I welcome them because they look like they hold more stuff and I am a fan of trucks and vans that actually have utility, unlike a lot of what's out there on the road today.
I'm jealous of that 2 liter TDI. I bet that thing gets incredible gas mileage. We'll never be getting that here folks. But I'm sure they'll put some guzzling v8 in there, unnecessarily large so we can continue to burn just as many gallons. Gotta keep the oil cartels happy.
Good to see Mike Levine checking in with us. As a Ford PR man can you shed any light on any near future plans or release dates of products?
How is this not a late-to-market VW Eurovan?
At Ford, Marketing is Job#1.
It's really the end for American Style car lovers! Panther cars,
Econoline Vans, thunderbird, .....all gone. The last are now
F series and mustang but how long they will stay here? Euro and
Japanese style everywhere.
I hate the whole "corporate" snout look. I like the trapezoid grill on the little cars but a van??
WTF???
Ford designers give your head a shake.
I hope they don't F..k up the next F150 with the same grill. Sends shivers up my spine.
No matter.
I could live with a Ram, Toyota, or Chevy if that were the case.
Luckily, it will be a while before I need a new truck.
@Stefano you probably have a point, if it does not sell Globally, they will not produce it. Chrysler for instance is making sure a lot of their products have a market outside NA.
The NA specific F series, Silverado/ GMC and Dodge Ram pickups will have the design language that makes them sell well. They are regional not global vehicles.
Should also be noted that the FWD light-duty Ford Transit is a direct competitor for the Fiat Ducato, which *will* be coming here as a Ram, while the heavy-duty RWD Transit takes on the Iveco Daily, which *may* come here as a Ram.
Ford will probably watch the success of the Ducato before deciding to offer the FWD Transit, and Chrysler will probably watch the RWD Transit to decide if they should bring the Daily here. Both manufacturers could end up with a rather full line of commercial vans...
- Transit Connect vs Doblo
- light duty FWD Transit vs Ducato
- heavy duty RWD Transit vs Daily
The question is, will GM join the fray, especially if the Ford and Chrysler vans get notably better fuel economy?
nice van the problem is a ford...
@ Half Pint: RE: "Ford is good for getting rid of its good selling vehicles,the Ranger is the worlds best selling compact truck,Econoline is the best selling Van,GM will now own the full size van market." You are correct. Another screwup by Ford was letting the Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis/Town Car die. They could have changed the exterior, put the EcoBoost 3.5 L V-6 in them and kept them going for a long time.
@Roadtrip. The Daily has considerably more ability than the Transit, built on a much heavier frame., This European "hotshotting" company uses Renault Masters and Daily's to tow boats.
http://petervanleur.at/upload/cache/phpThumb_cache_petervanleur.at_src8a3014591d6360bd4d887f52d070f707_par4fa7cdaa7c7772d849b43a4b1da43118_dat1274969414.jpeg
GM fans are upset that Ford is updating their vans and GM's vans are going to be severely oudated. Ford wins again.
"Half Pint" might also mean "Half Informed," because as I recall, Ford took no bail-out money from the Federal government.
And hey...high MPG camper van in the US? Put in a Euro-diesel?
Great RV alternative for that coast-to-coast road trip!
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