Ford debuts compact urban delivery van
36 Commercial Carrier Journal April 2009 Write 240 on Reader Service Card The global leader in LED WhiteLight adds to its growing list of LED fi rsts, by delivering the world's most advanced line of high-output work lamps. Engineered for maximum light quality and yield, Grote's Trilliant LED WhiteLight Work Lamps rival 35W HIDs and eclipse halogen competitors with light quality approaching that of natural sunlight. These lamps represent the future of mobile lighting, maximizing human and vehicle performance in countless applications. Learn more about the Performance Advantage that Grote LED WhiteLight technology provides call or visit . Improve workforce productivity with Grote's LED WhiteLight innovation. Grote Industries, Inc. 2009 LED WhiteLight Work Lamps come in spot, trapezoid, fl ood and wide-fl ood patterns. Grote_CCJ0409_PG036.indd 1 3/17/09 10:31:54 AM One of the benefits of being an international company like Ford is that you can borrow appropriate products from around the world if they make sense in other mar-kets. The company's new-to-North America Transit Connect urban delivery van, built in Turkey and originally designed to operate in Europe's tightly constricted cities and towns, is noticeably smaller than conventional North American delivery vehicles, but Ford says it still offers up to 1,600 pounds of payload and features more than 135 cubic feet of cargo space. Available in van and wagon con-figurations, the Transit Connect stands 6 feet, 8 inches tall and has a curb-to-curb turning radius of 39 feet. Its 2.0-liter Duratec I-4 engine is rated at 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. Late next year, in partner-ship with Smith Electric Vehicles, Ford will offer all-electric Transit Connect vehicles with an estimated range of about 100 miles. In other Ford news, the company reaffirmed its commitment to the North American Class 6 and 7 truck markets, announcing the continued production of F-650 and F-750 trucks through its Blue Diamond collaboration with Navistar. Ford also announced it will re-enter the stripped commercial chassis market in 2011 with its F-59 Super Duty platform in multiple wheelbase lengths and respective gross vehicle weight ratings. As cur-rently configured, the F-59 features a 6.8-liter Triton V-10 gas engine mated to a TorqShift five-speed automatic overdrive transmission. Other features include four-wheel anti-lock brakes and Bilstein shock absorbers. The F-59 chassis will be available in early 2010. Jack Roberts Ford debuts compact van Ford says its new compact urban delivery vehicle gets 22 mpg in the city, with the base model listing for less than $22,000. equipment