Another Small Ford From Mexico Is So Close Yet So Far
Ford could begin production in North America of a new Transit Connect as soon as 2023, according to Automotive News. The Blue Oval has begun requesting parts quotes for a van codenamed V758, which may be built "alongside an upcoming compact pickup and the Bronco Sport crossover in Hermosillo, Mexico," AN reports. The trick is that there's no word on the model crossing to the United States market.
The compact pickup referenced by AN is likely the Maverick, a small(er) truck that would slot beneath the Ranger in Ford's U.S. lineup. The Maverick, much like this V758 van, has not been officially announced model, but reports of both being produced in Mexico have swirled about for some time.
This specific van could be followed with even more small models because, as AN elaborates, the V758 uses the C2 architecture, which Ford plans to use extensively for some upcoming cars:
The van would further expand Ford's use of its C2 front-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive architecture, which underpins the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair crossovers. Ford previously said the architecture would eventually be used for 10 or 11 nameplates, representing 2 million vehicles, although it's unclear whether those product plans have changed since Jim Farley became CEO last fall.
Farley has placed an increased emphasis on commercial vehicles, and the Transit Connect plays a key role there.
I don't think Ford would be investing resources into the architecture, or shifting to North American production from Spain and Turkey, unless it expected a good return on doing so, which could indicate that Ford expects these new small models to do well. AN even points out that the Transit Connect is "the top-selling small van in the U.S." The only thing Ford has to do is import the new van here to the U.S. Oh, it's right there!
