As part of its new global strategy, Ford will begin building its Transit Connect in the United States by 2012. The U.S.-spec Transit Connect – which has been in dealer showrooms for less than a month – is currently built in Turkey, but will switch to U.S. production for the 2013 model year.
According to Automotive News, Ford will add Transit Connect production to either its Wayne, Michigan plant or its Louisville, Kentucky factory in 2012. That 2012 production shift coincides with Ford’s plan to retool the Wayne and Louisville plants to produce a new global, compact platform – the same that will underpin the 2013 Transit Connect.
The current version of the Transit Connect rides on the same platform as the European Ford Focus, but the small van will make the switch to the next-generation of that architecture in 2012 for the 2013 model year.
Although Ford has not set a sales target for the 2010 Transit Connect, it hopes to sell 60,000 units annually by the 2013 model year.
