Ford Transit Connect

The Ford Transit Connect is a compact panel van developed by Ford Otosan, designed by Peter Horbury and introduced by American carmaker Ford in 2002 to replace the older Ford Escort van range, which had ceased production in the same year. The Ford Tourneo Connect, a leisure activity vehicle, is a basically Transit Connect with side windows and rear seats. All North American Transit Connects are imported as passenger vehicles to circumvent the 25% "Chicken Tax" on imported light trucks. The Transit Connect employs the Ford C170 platform of the original international Ford Focus the same platform currently used with the North American Ford Focus. Other than the name, it shares few components with the Transit. The Connect is manufactured by Otosan in an all new production plant at Gölcük, near Kocaeli, Turkey, and in Romania by Automobile Craiova. The Ford Transit Connect was awarded "Van of the Year 2004" by Professional Van and Light Truck Magazine.