Ford Transit Concept Pushes Luxury Boundaries
In an attempt to show people attending the upcoming 2014 New York International Auto Show exactly how luxurious one can make the new full-size Ford Transit, the folks at Ford enlisted the help of the custom-build experts at Galpin Auto Sports from the "Pimp My Ride" TV show.
But there's a better reason for partner Galpin Ford to take the lead on this custom van and it has to do with the fact that back in the 1970s, during the monster Chevrolet van craze in Southern California (it's true; Google it), this same Van Nuys, Calif., dealership was selling 150 custom-modified vans a month. Now Ford is looking to resurrect the van subculture with its Euro-inspired Transit, set to debut later this summer.
The Transit Skyliner concept is essentially the ultimate limousine with four plush, 10-way adjustable custom leather-trimmed seats that look more like expensive first-class thrones on a five-star airline than anything else. The vehicle has a hideaway 52-inch high-definition projector screen (with DirecTV, Blu-ray and DVD capabilities) and a fully integrated "retro-modern" built-in bar. The massive 81-inch-tall interior is surrounded with soft-touch materials in the roof and walls, and has brightly polished maple flooring as well.The driver's cockpit is custom wrapped with a leather-stitched dash and doors, and offers a custom, soundproof molded surround so the driver can be sealed off from the passengers.
"Traveling in Transit Skyliner is an experience unlike any other" says Tim Stoehr, Ford commercial truck marketing manager. "You step into the vehicle and are immediately immersed in the custom interior and high-tech audiovisual environment. The next thing you know, you are arriving at your destination."
The Skyliner uses the 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine, which is just one of the three powertrains offered (the other two are the naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 and 3.2-liter inline-five-cylinder turbo-diesel that Ford uses in other global markets).The 2015 Transits will also offer a choice of two wheelbases, three roof heights and three body lengths in dual- or single-rear-wheel configurations.
The Transit Skyliner will be at the New York Auto Show, which opens to the public on April 18 and runs through April 27 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.
To download the full Ford Skyliner concept press release, click here.
Cars.com images by Mark Williams; manufacturer images
Comments
Now that's a road trip vehicle! Love the wood floors. It's almost like a flying cabin. Is the conversion van making a comeback. Reincarnate as a European van?
@BenThere
Its only a road trip vehicle until the crosswinds topple over that top heavy gawdy pitcher of kool aid. LMAO another Ford joke designed especially for girly girls who want to be Found On Road Dead
@Michigan Bob
there is certainly a lot of unnecessary headroom. I live in an area where wind knocked over five semi trucks in one day. And not it wasn't a hurricane or tornado.
I like the bar and refrigerator.
http://pic.twitter.com/dt0HQiHCBq
That van is actually starting to grow on me. The old Econo-bus was long past its prime anyway!
I can see a Westfalia like camper version coming soon!
I like those seats. They'd be great for a home theater - minus the seat belts, of course.
Glenn,
It depends what someone's watching....if it's a romance filled with "action" those seat belts might come handy ;)
It was just last week I made a comment here that America should bring back the conversion van, but on the new Transit or NV3500. Hmmm what else should I wish for?
The seating looks very comfortable.
A floating floor is luxury? This style of floor is great in a games room or where kids play a lot.
Way too much white.
Black leather and black fittings and silver accents in the interior is best.
White is not a colour, like black.
But remember black should be used more sparingly on the exterior of a vehicle. Black works well with chrome in small doses around grilles and wheel well liners.
My Transit Connect van doesn't have these options. I wish it did - this is awesome!
Are they building them now?
Are they built in Cleveland?
When are they coming to the dealers?
Whats the base price?
@BenThere - "there is certainly a lot of unnecessary headroom."
that happens to be the best description of Michigan Bob I've ever read.
good one.
Yes there is too much headroom...BUT that's mainly to accommodate the 52 inch TV and audio system, if you didn't want that, I'm sure a standard height roof would suffice, just like the Chevy/GMC Express/Savanna conversion vans of recent.
As a concept, its fantastic, vans like this (Mostly Mercedes Sprinters) are a common sight in Europe and here in Australia as an alternative to Limousines, granted they don't look as flash, but they're much more passenger friendly. For executive taxi services and personal conversion vans (toned down a little maybe) it's great...don't like it, don't buy it, simple, make your own one.
EWWW!
Is it a spacecraft? looks like one. Houston, ford has a problem
LOL!
Look at the last photo. The headroom is just right. Any smaller and guys 6' and up will hit their head. The other photo showing too much headroom is an optical illusion through trick photography.
I'm sure that the RV market will love these vans.
@Lou_BC
Where I live I see a considerable number of these in RV form.
Looks like Ford US has already thought about RVs and flatbed Transits.
I think some of the guys on this site will be amazed at a truck the size of a crew cab F-150 with a 3.2 diesel able to carry a 5 000lb load on the bed.
http://www.examiner.com/article/ford-unveils-u-s-transit-van-chassis-cab-and-cutaway-rv-platform
@jordie. Agree they are fairly common, many custom builders of them. They used to build on the old Transit body as well.
This is a great article showing the incredible versatility that Ford considered as they began the design & development of the Transit and Transit Connect. American ingenuity at its finest!
The link below is a good overall review of the current model year if any one is interested. Lets go Ford and lets go America!
http://fordtransitinky.com/194/
@Ky Ford Transit Driver....... "American ingenuity at its finest!"
Do you realize that these vans have been in Europe for decades?
The only "American ingenuity" that went into them was making them look more "American".
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