DUNTON, UK – In the last of our mini-series of Transit Memories stories, we bring you the Ford Transit Connect X-Press – a unique pocket rocket created by morphing a first-generation Focus RS with a first-generation Transit Connect.
The brainchild of engineers at Ford’s Lommel Proving Ground, this one-off machine was built over a two-year period from 2003 to 2004 using the shell from a pre-production Transit Connect and the running gear from a prototype Focus RS.
It’s got a 212bhp turbo engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, plus the front suspension, brakes and steering rack from what was the ultimate performance hatch of that era.
It also borrows the RS’s alloy wheels for tyres for extra grip, while the rear leaf-sprung suspension has been modified to help keep it pointing where it should be on the twisty stuff. Inside there’s a fur-covered dashboard and a white leather interior. And while the load space is slightly compromised by extra body bracing, it is still very much a functional delivery van.
Former Ford engineer Philippe Castro was the brains behind the project. He recalls: “We created this vehicle in our spare time using parts that would otherwise have gone to the crusher, so the development costs were very low.
“The result was a very fast, yet remarkably refined machine. X-Press was used to support our marketing activities for a long time, and it injected a lot of emotion into the CV world in general.”
Today, Connect X-Press leads a pampered life at the Ford Heritage Centre in Daventry, but it is still road legal, and it does hit the tarmac from time to time.
So, what’s it like to drive? “Totally mental!” was how AutoExpress described it back in 2004. The UK publication added: “It's hard to determine whether it's the psychology of a van that has dynamic capabilities to rival some of the world's most exciting performance cars, or the combination of skilled engineering and a surprisingly good chassis. But the X-Press can be moved along with alacrity.
“The Connect's only downfall is its lack of van practicality. The load bay is rendered virtually useless by the roll cage and spare wheels. But the X-Press isn't about practicality. It's about fun - something it provides a healthy load of.”
