Form and function

摘要

Wnile operators of light commercials may be primarily concerned about fuel economy, reliability, service intervals, ease of repair and carrying capacity, what a van looks like also matters. It matters for the company's image; it matters to drivers who prefer to be behind the wheel of something that looks good; and it influences residual values. So how do you create an LCV that turns heads, yet is still a practical, cost-effective, cargo shifter? That was the task faced by designers at the Ford Technical Centre at Dunton, Essex, when a team of 50 to 60 began work on the latest version of Transit Connect, due to arrive in dealerships later this year.