Ford's Stylish And Spacious All-New Tourneo Connect Provides Active Families With The Perfect People-Mover

PARIS – Sept 26, 2012: Ford’s stylish and practical all-new Tourneo Connect family vehicle makes its global public debut at the Paris Motor Show.

The all-new vehicle adds to Ford’s new generation of Tourneo people movers for Europe and offers active families an attractive and affordable new package with dynamic looks, outstanding space and versatility, along with the latest Ford passenger car technologies – including the award-winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, Active City Stop and Ford SNYC.

“The new Tourneo Connect is a stylish, spacious and comfortable vehicle which is great for today’s busy lifestyles – ready to tackle the school run with room to spare, or to take the family mountain biking at the weekend,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president Product Development, Ford of Europe.

“Customers can look forward to a versatile and well-equipped vehicle which is both practical and economical to run, while delivering the same level of quality, refinement and smart features as you’d expect from the rest of our passenger car portfolio.”

Stylish and roomy with versatile seating
Standing out from the crowd with its dynamic, modern appearance, the Tourneo Connect delivers a bold new look to this class of people mover. The vehicle showcases Ford’s latest design language, from the signature trapezoidal grille and slim, technical headlamps at the front, through the powerful rising shoulder line, to the distinctive vertical tail lamps at the rear.

The spacious interior features a stylish cockpit that is constructed with meticulous attention to design and craftsmanship, resulting in an attractive and comfortable driving environment. An optional full-size glass panoramic roof emphasises the sensation of space and light within the cabin.

Behind the wheel, the driver benefits from the latest Ford driver assistance features and interior technologies. Tourneo Connect is the first in its class to offer Active City Stop, and features the Ford SYNC voice-activated, in-car connectivity system with Emergency Assistance. Other advanced features include adaptive cornering fog lamps and a rear view camera system.

Available in a choice of two capable and versatile models – the five-seat Tourneo Connect and the seven-seat Grand Tourneo Connect – the new vehicle offers outstanding practicality for active families, with sliding rear doors, highly-flexible seating and a host of smart stowage areas including aircraft-style overhead lockers above the rear seats.

The seven-seat model offers unique-in-class fold-flat seating, enabling customers to fold both second- and third-row seats to create a huge, flat load area. The front passenger seat can also be folded to allow extra-long items such as flat-pack furniture to be easily carried.

Targeting best-in-class fuel economy
Tourneo Connect targets best-in-class fuel economy by offering a choice of highly efficient diesel and petrol engines and Ford ECOnetic Technology features.

The powertrain line-up in Europe includes the Dagenham-built, highly-efficient 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel with a choice of 75, 95 and 115 PS versions, and the remarkable new 100 PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine – 2012 “International Engine of the Year”, plus a version of the acclaimed Bridgend-built, 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine available with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The latest low-CO2 Ford ECOnetic Technology features help to minimise fuel consumption, including Auto-Start-Stop available on both diesel and petrol models, along with an Active Grille Shutter system that minimises aerodynamic drag by reducing or stopping airflow to the cooling system when it is not required.

Next-generation global platform
The all-new Tourneo Connect is based on Ford’s global C-segment platform shared by models like the Focus and all-new Kuga/Escape.

For superior comfort and driving dynamics, the new vehicle now incorporates a unique torsion beam rear suspension system, replacing the leaf-spring design on the outgoing model. The chassis also features the latest electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) technology which helps to deliver agile and responsive handling while also reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to a traditional hydraulic system.

The vehicle was designed and engineered at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre, Essex, and supported by the company’s full global development resources. Throughout its development, the vehicle has been carefully tailored to meet the different needs of customers around the world, including the unique features and powertrains required to meet local market needs.

The all-new Tourneo Connect is scheduled to go on sale in Europe, and in North America where it will be sold as the Transit Connect Wagon, in the second half of 2013.