Photo: S.Baldauf/SB-Medien
Ford is revamping a key model in its LCV range, the Transit Courier, and it looks like the Blue Oval has decided to shift the design strategy of this vehicle. While it is fully camouflaged, and this is the first known public appearance of this prototype, we cannot ignore the changes made to this model.
Firstly, let us start with the elephant in the room: the grille is angular and straight, and it is not seen on any other Ford model in the current lineup. There are six longitudinal slats that form the grille, and one of them splits the headlights in half.
While concealed, the Ford logo is visible on the grille, and the fact that it is an oval really helps with its identification. The bumper also has horizontal slats for its lower vent, and it encompasses a sensor that was concealed by vinyl for the moment, but should be functional, nonetheless.
There is also a possibility that the engineers left room for the sensor, but it has not been fitted yet. Usually, sensors like the one we are referencing are left unpainted in the bumper and are placed in a recessed position so that they are not easily damaged in the event of parking mishaps.
Second, the other important change is in the shape of the headlights, which bear a strong resemblance with those of various models from the F-Series range, without being all-out F-Series. While the front grille has a larger-than-usual Ford badge, it is not as big as the Ford brand name written in full caps, as you might find on the F-Series models.
Third, the rest of the vehicle maintains a utilitarian look, which is expected of an LCV. It continues to have sliding doors on its second row of doors, while the rear has split vertical doors. This example is meant to carry passengers and will have windows on its sides and rear, but Ford will also make a freight-only version, which will have metal panels instead of windows on its sides and its rear.
We also get a small glimpse of the dashboard, which appears to have a large screen in the middle. It is unclear if the gauge cluster is set to be replaced by a screen, as well, or if Ford will decide to keep costs down and stick to a conventional gauge cluster instead. In time, economies of scale might make TFT gauge clusters cheaper to manufacture and deploy than conventional gauges.
This model should hit showrooms in 2024, possibly in the latter part of the year, as the ongoing Transit Courier has been on the market for almost eight years now, and this will be its ninth. Expect the Transit Courier to be a Europe-only affair, as it may be too small to fit the needs and tastes of American businesses.
While concealed, the Ford logo is visible on the grille, and the fact that it is an oval really helps with its identification. The bumper also has horizontal slats for its lower vent, and it encompasses a sensor that was concealed by vinyl for the moment, but should be functional, nonetheless.
There is also a possibility that the engineers left room for the sensor, but it has not been fitted yet. Usually, sensors like the one we are referencing are left unpainted in the bumper and are placed in a recessed position so that they are not easily damaged in the event of parking mishaps.
Second, the other important change is in the shape of the headlights, which bear a strong resemblance with those of various models from the F-Series range, without being all-out F-Series. While the front grille has a larger-than-usual Ford badge, it is not as big as the Ford brand name written in full caps, as you might find on the F-Series models.
Third, the rest of the vehicle maintains a utilitarian look, which is expected of an LCV. It continues to have sliding doors on its second row of doors, while the rear has split vertical doors. This example is meant to carry passengers and will have windows on its sides and rear, but Ford will also make a freight-only version, which will have metal panels instead of windows on its sides and its rear.
We also get a small glimpse of the dashboard, which appears to have a large screen in the middle. It is unclear if the gauge cluster is set to be replaced by a screen, as well, or if Ford will decide to keep costs down and stick to a conventional gauge cluster instead. In time, economies of scale might make TFT gauge clusters cheaper to manufacture and deploy than conventional gauges.
This model should hit showrooms in 2024, possibly in the latter part of the year, as the ongoing Transit Courier has been on the market for almost eight years now, and this will be its ninth. Expect the Transit Courier to be a Europe-only affair, as it may be too small to fit the needs and tastes of American businesses.
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