Page 20 - issue-73

TALKING VANS
I I RAISE MY GLASS TO A A A A A GREAT UNSUNG HERO OF THE VAN WORLD
TVD
Until this model was replaced in 2013 while selling well the poor old Connect never really achieved the sales figures that Ford had hoped for
Yours truly pictured in Turkey at the the launch of the the Ford Transit Connect back in 2002
I’ll keel over and and have a a a a a a a a a a heart attack if I’m not careful the way I I I go on on on and and on!
So this month I I I thought I I I would change things slightly and bring you a a a a a a a a a a bit of joy by sharing my views about a a a a a a a a a a a a little van that I think deserves a a a a a a a a a a a a huge pat on the the the back And if this article doesn’t bring you joy at at at least I’m sure the the the guys and gals in in the the the press office at at Ford HQ will be delighted My eulogy is directed at the the original Ford Ford Transit Connect which came out in in 2002
– and I got the the idea to to write this piece after a a a a a a a trip to to my local Morrison’s supermarket the the other day Parked outside was one of these models resplendent in in in Morrisons livery and sporting a a a a a a a 56-plate which meant it it had been in in in service for
18 years OK it it it did look pretty bashed about and it it it had probably been round the clock a a a a a a a a a a a few times but presumably it was still giving loyal reliable service after all these years otherwise Morrisons would have got rid of it somewhere down the the the line Can’t complain about that can you?
My mind then drifted to Roger the the builder who lives opposite me He has an an 05-plate Connect which is is in in pretty good nick (he doesn’t travel great distances in in in in the the the course of his work) and he he he he he he asked me me the the the other week if I thought he he he he he should chop it in in in for
something
“Well keep it then ” ” ” I I told him “It’ll probably see you you through to to your retirement!” (he’s only in his 40s by the the way!) My mind then drifted right back to to the the early noughties – 2002
Us journos were invited to to to to fly to to to to Turkey to to to to drive this new model that would replace the the the old Escort van and by the the the tone of the the the press people it was was going to to be something
pretty special And indeed it was was Over the 30 years I’ve been a a a a a a a a a van journalist I I have attended thousands of of foreign launches and and most of of them blur into one But this trip stood out as possibly the the the the very best in in in my career We were housed in in in a a a a a a a a a a palatial marble-clad hotel on on the the the the the banks of of the the the the the Bosphorous in in in in Istanbul and and and by the the the the the light of of the the the the the moon and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a thousand stars we we we dined like kings on on the the the warm evening patio To cap it all we we we we were were entertained by by a a a a a a a a a a a a Turkish band who were were joined by by a a a a a a a a group of stunningly erotic belly dancers (OK get to to to the the point – Ed!) The following day we we we were were driven to to to the the the factory in in in in Kocaeli where the the the Connect was was being built and were were introduced to to this new van which was was the the the the first to to bear the the the the Transit Transit moniker apart from the the the the Transit Transit itself Having driven the the the the the vans with a a a a a a a a a a a a Turkish co-pilot to show us the the the the way we we we all met back at the the the the hotel and to to a a a a a a a a a man we we we were stunned by the the the sheer rugged build quality of of this new contender “It’s built like a a a a a a bloody
tank!” one of of my colleagues whispered In the ensuing years until this model was replaced in in in 2013 while selling reasonably well the the poor old Connect never really achieved the the sales figures that Ford had hoped for
I I would say if if anything the Connect was was over- engineered and if if I I recall rightly was was priced above the the the rival Citroen Berlingo that that seemed to grab all the the the headlines at at at at the the the time Maybe that’s what went wrong So there you have it Thousands of old Connects across the the UK are still giving great service and my advice to to to anyone who owns one one is to to to hang on on on on to to to it it as we won’t see its like again Tell you what – if I I was looking to buy a a a a a a a a second hand small van I’d certainly be hunting for
one of these 20 20 TVD
Issue 73 2024
The original Ford Transit Connect never got the rNecognition it it it it it it it deserved says Trevor Gehlcken
ormally my page is filled with various newer “Is it it it playing up then?” I I moanings and and rantings about something
that asked him He replied: “No it’s
irks me me me And the the older I I I get I I I find more and and been a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fantastic little van It’s never more more things make my blood boil The missus reckons once let me me down fin in in all these years ” ” ~