new york auto show, 2008 ny auto show, 2008 new york auto show, ford transit connect...

Ford Transit Connect Taxi Is Bursting With Tech

We're well aware that the Ford Transit Connect is here and available in a lot of variations, but I'm still a bit confused by the taxi-model version that we spied last week and witnessed the official unveil of yesterday. The interior of this thing includes the mandatory glass panel that separates the driver and passengers. And that's where the confusion begins. The glass includes a LCD display much like we've already seen, but there also seems to be a sort of a map etched into the glass.

It would seem that they could just integrate the in-car GPS for the passengers in the LCD display, but the map etched into the glass makes me ponder differently. We've seen Ford do some pretty amazing things with the glass of the Ford Transit Connect in a previou variant, so the reality of using a map etched into the glass and some type of blinking light would be a ton cooler, really.

While we're discussing the tech of the Transit Connect Taxi, the bubble on top of the Taxi illuminates green or orange depending on occupancy. This thing really puts the Crown Victorias—currently the workhorse of taxi fleets—to shame. Well, everywhere except under the hood.

1:15 PM on Thu Mar 20 2008
By Travis Hudson
1,035 views
17 comments

Comments

$Image of M. Night\'s The Halfshafting$ M. Night's The... at 02:55 PM on 03/20/08
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To 84 Charing Cross Road, and step on it!
Ash78 at 02:58 PM on 03/20/08
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There's probably a Minority Report joke about that glass panel, especially regarding a non-Anglophone cab driver.
graverobber- Two BEER... at 03:00 PM on 03/20/08
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Maybe it's the treasure map Nicolas Cage has been searching for in those wonderful movies? Wouldn't that be a ca-winky-dink?
AndyDuncan at 03:03 PM on 03/20/08
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This thing is screaming for a small diesel.
RalphieDC at 03:13 PM on 03/20/08
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@AndyDuncan: or a large one!
Brian B at 03:15 PM on 03/20/08
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@AndyDuncan: Agreed.

What are the mill options, anyway? There are no details on fordvehicles.com
Euromobile at 03:29 PM on 03/20/08
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@AndyDuncan: Apparently Ford of America are stupid.
boosted-lego-wagon at 03:31 PM on 03/20/08
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@Euromobile: Apparently Captain Obvious's secret identity is no longer secret.
Euromobile at 03:48 PM on 03/20/08
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@13oostedwgn: What!?
boosted-lego-wagon at 03:57 PM on 03/20/08
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@Euromobile: ;)

Don't worry, I won't tell the Joker.
FЯeeMan at 04:04 PM on 03/20/08
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@Euromobile: I believe Mr. "13oos Ted Wgn" (must be Vietnamese with a name like Wgn... :) indicating that your statement here was somewhat obvious and, quite possibly, a given, therefore it didn't need to be stated.
Euromobile at 04:12 PM on 03/20/08
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@FreeMan: I should've followed up with a " ;) " as well. I realise that we were goofing around. It was a fairly obvious thing to say though, I'll concede that.
ecobore at 05:45 AM on 03/21/08
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Yes, but the US model gets 19mpg!!!!!!!

That is laughable.
In the EU the Transit connect just won accolades for it's fuel economy... 52mpg!!!
[www.carpages.co.uk]
admittedly this was driving very carefully, but 40mpg should be easily attainable in NYC!
It is just this ridiculous pandering to US tastes for large engines that screws it all up!
Ash78 at 08:51 AM on 03/21/08
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@ecobore: The sad part is that it's not even a large engine. A 2.4L is a medium-sized 4-cyl by US standards (we get very few cars under 2.0). And in the overall scheme of engines, it's small here. Plus, it's replacing a V8-powered car with very similar fuel economy. Also keep in mind that you quoted UKmpg, which is inflated over the US numbers due to the different sized gallons. Still a large difference!

The lack of diesel is a big mistake for this product's launch.
ecobore at 09:58 AM on 03/21/08
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Oh yes, thx, forgot about the difference between US and UK gallons..
I'm not sure what the NYC rules are on diesels - I know some US states refuse to have them for fear of particulates, but modern diesels are extremely clean and importantly, VERY economical and durable, so less wastage in terms of parts replacement.
ecobore at 10:05 AM on 03/21/08
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By the way, 2.4l is considered a LARGE engine in the EU! I can't see any valid reason to use larger engines in the US than in the EU?
dusanmal at 08:40 PM on 03/21/08
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@ecobore: Unfortunately, car-makers have a twisted vision that they'll be laughed at if they bring anything but more powerful/larger volume engine. Oh, wait - car magazines do make derogatory comments such as "underpowered" as soon as a new car has an engine smaller than the existing medium in its class...
Recent example: diesel Jeep Liberty was not introduced to the USA market until its original "world" 2.5 l engine was "upgraded" to 2.8 l , killing the 30% of the fuel economy in the process.