Ford Enhances the Box
Today's auto designers are faced with the problem of accommodating people and goods in small packages without sacrificing comfort and convenience. There's really only one package that fits that need: The Box. Trouble is, boxy shapes are seldom attractive, nor are they particularly aerodynamic. But there's a point where the box becomes accepted by consumers and that's when it becomes fashionable. You laugh? The Beetle was laughed at, too. Now it's a much-loved icon. A few years ago Toyota launched a new brand, Scion, that included the xB, truly a small box on wheels. Once again "they" laughed. Not any more.
Now Ford is bringing us something the Europeans have known and appreciated almost since the dawn of the motor car. A small delivery van, in this instance known as the Transit Connect. "Transit," by the way, is a name long used by Ford of England to identify its vans. "Connect," I would think, suggests a connection with many businesses in many countries. But if this is any example, Ford sees it as potentially appealing to North American families denied out-of-fashion minivans and finally accepting that the SUV was a con. They call this Family One.
Family-friendly features include a compartment for a folded stroller, rear-seat entertainment, built-in dispensers for hand sanitisers and sunscreens. An onboard awning extends from the rear for picnics. Door panels can be drawn-on with markers and wiped clean. Seat covers are removable and washable. "Stadium seating" provides rear seats higher than the front seats so kids get a view forward without complaining. The in-dash computer can keep parents on schedule and with the use of radio technology (RFID) can keep track of "everything from diaper bags to sporting goods, back packs and homework folders." Long live the Box.
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