| The automotive industry has always been full of | | | | “Transit Connect is such a strong and dynamically |
| innovations and improvements. Year after year, car | | | | capable vehicle to begin with, that we knew this |
| manufacturers constantly come up with new | | | | project would be feasible from the outset,” says |
| developments. This competitiveness has given birth | | | | Ford of Europe's Chief Engineer for Commercial |
| to some of the most notable vehicles in history. | | | | Vehicles, Barry Gale. “Certain drivetrain and |
| While not all vehicles have what it takes to take the | | | | suspension components are common with the first |
| world of auto industry by storm, some vehicles are | | | | generation Ford Focus, so the transformation was |
| just made to do just that. | | | | relatively straightforward from an engineering point |
| Recently, Ford’s Connect X-Press has done that. | | | | of view. We now have a unique commercial vehicle |
| The X-Press is a Europe-only vehicle developed by | | | | that performs like no other. If pushed, it is capable of |
| the Ford Motor Company. It is a minivan but it has | | | | a 0-60mph time in less than 7 seconds and a 130mph |
| been said to have the abilities one can usually find in | | | | top speed. As you might expect from a Ford, it |
| a sports car. Some auto enthusiasts have even | | | | handles, steers and stops like a sports car,” Gale |
| compared the newcomer to the Supervan model | | | | added. |
| that is equipped with a Cosworth engine. | | | | The Ford X-Press’ powerplant is a 215PS 2.0-liter |
| The minivan shares the same powertrain of the | | | | turbocharged and intercooled 16-valve Duratec RS |
| class-leading Ford Focus RS. With the same drive | | | | engine and that is the same unit as that used by the |
| train, the minivan can reach speed of sixty miles per | | | | Ford Focus RS. The development of the X-Press is |
| hour from a standstill in less than seven seconds. The | | | | an effort to show the capability of the base car, the |
| X-Press is 70 mm. lower than the standard Connect | | | | Ford Transit. After all, not all minivans can be |
| minivan. Additional sports car-like attributes are the | | | | equipped with that powerful engine and still provide |
| 18” OZ alloy wheels that the X-Press is equipped | | | | safe operation. The power from the engine is |
| with. Exhaust of the powerful minivan is as little as its | | | | transferred to the front wheels of the vehicle |
| cousin, the Ford Focus. That means that the X-Press, | | | | through a five-speed transmission. |
| for all its power, will have no trouble meeting the | | | | Stopping that power, of course, needs the same |
| strict emission standard enforced by the European | | | | Brembo brakes used on the Ford Focus RS vehicle. |
| Union. Another race car-like attribute that the X-Press | | | | The X-Press is equipped with Brembo 325 mm |
| exhibits is the integrated roll cage which can be found | | | | ventilated disc brakes and slightly smaller 280 mm |
| inside the vehicle. | | | | Brembo disc brakes on the rear. |