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Any Way You Like It: Ford's 2014 Transit Connect

Courtesy of Ford

How could you not love the new 2014 Ford Transit Connect?  It’s cute, contemporary and immensely versatile.  This vehicle could easily be substituted for most minivans and can be configured in a myriad of ways.  The possibilities are almost endless. Outside of the pickup truck, there isn’t a vehicle for sale that can be configured in as many variations as the Transit Connect. Unfortunately, Ford’s configurator doesn’t do the best job of explaining all of the options.  Here is a brief overview:

First of all, it’s important to note that there are two types of vehicles: the Van and the Wagon.  Those names are similar and in everyday parlance probably interchangeable. I think of the Van as a “Commercial” Van as opposed to a “Mini” Van.  Ford doesn’t go to great lengths to explain what differentiates these models. Adding to the confusion is the fact that Ford offers both Van and Wagon to commercial and non-commercial customers. 

The main difference between Van and Wagon seems to be the overall size and cargo/seating capacity.  I use the term “seem” because that’s what the casual customer might surmise. However, that is technically incorrect because both Van and Wagon can be had as either short or long wheelbase models.

Perhaps, instead of focusing on what differentiates the various models, it is more productive to approach this vehicle more holistically: it can be whatever you want it to be.

Ford does not like to use the term minivan in describing it. In fact, it has a marketing campaign centered on the fact that it is the “#unminivan”. What makes it unlike a minivan is that it is slightly smaller – again, depending on which model you get – and that it is aimed at a different audience. While it can carry up to seven passengers, it can also be outfitted without a third row or without a second row. It can be used to haul plenty of cargo, ideal for small businesses such as electricians and plumbers, but also for families with pets or those who need to haul lumber or bicycles or just about anything else you can think of.

Trim levels follow the standard Ford approach of XL, XLT and Titanium, with Titanium being reserved for the wagon only.  The price range to accommodate all this flexibility is rather large as well, spanning from a starting price of $23,000 for an XL Van to $30,000 for a Wagon in Titanium trim, before options.

There are only two engines to chose from: a 2.5 liter base four cylinder and an optional 1.6 liter EcoBoost four.  Power output is very similar between the two engines (169 hp vs. 178 hp and 171 lb.-ft. of torque compared to 184 lb.-ft.).  The EcoBoost engine is optional, which is consistent with Ford’s approach across other models. What is also consistent is the seeming lack of substantial fuel economy gains by choosing the EcoBoost model. Not having driven either, I can’t speak to the different driving characteristics.

Upholstery could be vinyl, cloth or leather. The rear can either come with a hatchback lid or twin doors. The interior space can be outfitted with commercial shelving units or what Ford calls “aircraft-style” console, for the kids to store their toys. 

With so many options there are bound to be some oddities.  One of them includes the lack of a diesel engine, which commercial customers would appreciate as an option, and a manual transmission; both are available in other markets.  The final oddity in this maze is that the most expensive model, the long wheel base wagon, including the Titanium, cannot be had with the supposedly upgraded EcoBoost engine.

Regardless, the Ford Transit Connect can meet the needs of most families, including many of whom  own minivans and pickup trucks.

Courtesy of Ford

Don’t let this picture mislead you: you can order a Van with glass in the sliding doors.

 

Courtesy of Ford

America Is Running Out of Subarus?

That was the headline in an article that appeared in the Wall Street Journal , May 30, 2013.  It’s difficult to imagine a headline that would have been less imaginable a few years ago.  After all, Subaru has a well-earned reputation of producing vehicles that appeal to a niche crowd of New England liberals. 

Subaru realized that this core demographic  was both an asset and a liability. On one hand, these buyers have sustained the brand for decades, on the other hand, the types of vehicles coveted by that demographic were largely unappealing to mainstream US buyers.

This is a familiar dilemma for many foreign automakers, especially small ones like Fuji Heavy Industries, which owns and produces Subarus. Expanding to foreign markets is a difficult endeavor and one way to minimize risk and cost is to export domestic market products with as few changes as possible. That approach is particularly prevalent in capital intensive industries such as automotive manufacturing. For reference, Subaru’s Japanese competitors all started its sales operations in the US by exporting Japanese market models. While global automotive tastes are slowly becoming more homogenous, there are still strong regional preferences that prevent models that do well in one market from achieving similar success elsewhere. 

Courtesey of SubaruForester.org

With this in mind, Subaru realized that it needed to de-emphasize its Japanese roots and customize its offering to the US market. The company was able to do this somewhat easily since it has been building  vehicles in the US for decades.  A prime example of Subaru’s success has been the Outback.  This model has been sold in the US for many years, largely unchanged from its Japanese twin. In essence, the Outback has always been an all-wheel-drive station wagon. Station wagons have limited market appeal in the US, where customers favor higher-riding SUVs and cross-overs.  Instead of abandoning the Outback name and goodwill, the company instead morphed the product into a cross-over that still resembles a wagon but with a higher ride height. The company took the same approach with its very popular Forrester model. It capitalized on the name and basically copied the cross-overs from Honda and Toyota to arrive at its bestselling model. Overall, Subaru has enjoyed a 34% sales increase in May 2013.

Instead of struggling in the US market as other, smaller Japanese auto manufacturers Suzuki and Mitsubishi have, Subaru is thriving.  It’s a lesson that other manufacturers are following as well. As much as US car enthusiasts have praised BMWs over the years, selling European models only got the company so far. To drive sales, BMW capitalized on its brand, started producing vehicles in the US and expanded its product line to include models for US buyers, namely SUVs. Similarly, many manufacturers tweak their models for the Chinese market, with long wheelbase models.

Of course, brand expansion can easily lead to lead to oversaturation and a loss of core values.  This affects niche and luxury brands more than mainstream brands. However, for Subaru the danger is real. Now that many consumers embrace Subaru models as an alternative to other Asian brands, will the brand lose it core customer base? Most likely, they will lose that core customer base and its rapid expansion will more than make up for it.

Imported from Detroit

I am a big fan not only of Chrysler's resurgence under Fiat CEO Sergio Marchione, but also of the accompanying advertising campaign Imported from Detroit. The campaign, like the cars, is bold and well crafted. They add a swagger that was missing for some time.

The media campaign has been well received and apart from a brief political fallout from the perceived pro Obama bias of the 2012 Super Bowl ad, and has succeeded in differentiating Chrysler from its competition.  

The Imported from Detroit commercials are so popular that a Detroit clothing maker named Pure Detroit capitalized on the slogan and started selling merchandise with that moniker. Naturally, Chrysler saw this as a threat to their brand and filed suit to stop the sales. Pure Detroit counter sued and now both parties have agreed to mediate the conflict.

This type of legal action is hardly unusual.  The usual justification for said action is brand protection. While that is true in this case as well, it should be noted that Chrysler is trying to generate revenue from clothing sales using the slogan as well. The company has its own competing website which offers Detroit-themed clothing and accessories while also providing a share of the revenue to local charities. Pure Detroit offers a greater assortment of articles that Chrysler does, including vintage ware with competitor's logos.  

Guys, you can demonstrate your love of the American automobile and of your significant other by indulging in some genuine "Detroit is for Lovers" ladies underwear.

Below is another excellent Chrysler commercial.

 

Valuable Cargo

While waiting for the plane to take off at Chicago's O'Hare airport the other day I ran across this curiosity.  Waiting on the tarmac was an armored truck, flanked by an SUV.  Both vehicles were clearly waiting for the arrival of a plane. That made me wonder just how common it is to ship valuable cargo via public airplane?