Ford’s latest mule looks like it was
designed by Salvador Dali, but there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye.
While some might assume this is a mule for the company’s crossover-inspired
wagon, that’s not necessarily the case as this model appears longer and
features a raised hood and cowl. The wagon-iod mule also has a tall radiator
and high-mounted headlights. This
suggests the mule isn’t for a wagon, but rather the next-generation Transit
Connect.
Little is known about the van at this
point but, last March, the automaker confirmed the next-generation model would
go into production at their Hermosillo assembly plant in Mexico starting in
2021. The plant currently builds the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, but both
those models are living on borrowed time.
When the move was announced, Ford said the
decision to build the van in Mexico would increase its “U.S. and Canadian
vehicle content consistent with the proposed USMCA trade agreement.” The
company also noted Mexican production would benefit North American suppliers
and help increase the model’s profitability.
Ford has been tight-lipped on specifics,
but we can expect hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. The latter version could
use a powertrain similar to the Transit and Tourneo. They have a 1.0‑liter EcoBoost three-cylinder petrol engine, a 125 hp electric motor and a 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This
enables them to travel up to 56 km on electricity alone in the New
European Driving Cycle.