2008 New York Auto Show: Ford Transit Connect Taxi Concept

• Looks like: A new take on the NYC classic
• Defining characteristics: It’s not a Crown Victoria
• Ridiculous features: No hybrid powertrain
• Chance of being mass-produced: Pretty high. The Crown Vic is aging and gas prices are soaring

Last month, Ford announced that it would begin importing its Transit Connect commercial van to the U.S. by 2010. Today in New York City, the company is showing one of the ways the van could be utilized on a mass scale.

The Transit Connect Taxi has more than 75 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear-cab seats that fit three passengers. The van also features a small, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that gets 19 mpg in city driving which the company claims is 30% higher than the Crown Vic. We’re not sure if that’s a great enough improvement, and we would rather see the hybrid system from the Escape Hybrid that gets 30 mpg in the city. More photos below.

Comments

[Happymantis]

interesting looking concept, a diesel engine would have helped things though.

[Infosaur]

Happymantis:

Diesel's are currently illegal for sale in NYC.

Wacky emission rules.

[Infosaur]

Also, it could use more than 3 seats. And a cab is one of the few places a bench would work better than 3 buckets (which don't look particularly comfortable)

It's a nice re-dress. But I'd say a workable concept would need:

1.) move the rear bench back about 10"
2.) rear facing jump seats at the partition
3.) ditch the front passenger seat in favor of either a desk or a storage compartment. (maybe even a cooler since many cabbies brown bag their lunch)

[Paul Corum]

This looks very much like a rip-off of the Renault Kangoo, Citreon Berlingo that have been available in Europe for several years

[Ron Ress]

What do you know? In search of the perfect taxi, they have almost recreated ... the London taxi!