Cheaper and safer Ford CDVs
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by Toby Clark • Standard driver's airbags and door-reinforcing bars are among changes to the specifications and prices of Ford's car-derived van range.
Diesel van prices have been cut, with Escort diesels down by around £1,000.
All Ford CDVs now come with airbags as part of a standard safety package, while the range has been drastically simplified to seven variants with one level of trim for each model. The 12 Escort van variants have been pruned to three: the Escort 55 1.3CFi petrol van, and the 55 1.8D and 75 1.8D diesels.
The payload designation of all three models has been changed. The Escort 40 becomes the Escort 55; the 1.85-tonne GVW Escort 60 is now the 75. Ford says this brings its models in line with those of manufacturers who quote point loads and include the weight of a driver in their figures—there has been no actual change in GVW or suspension specifications. The distinctions between Popular and LX trim levels are gone, as are the carburettor-equipped petrol engines and 1.4-litre fuel-injected petrol unit (CM 3-9 March), Petrol-engined Escorts now have Ford's Safeguard security system, which was first seen on the car range. The key incorporates an encoded transponder, without which the engine management system is inoperative and the van is immobilised. When the key is inserted circuitry in the lock barrel interrogates the key transponder: an incorrect code will prevent the engine being started. A system for diesel models is on its way.
Cloth seats
The new versions of the Escort, Fiesta and Courier vans are nearer the old LX spec than the Popular with cloth seats, a halfheight bulkhead, a radio/cassette player, load mats and loadspace trim as standard, The emphasis is on safety and security features, and all models are fitted with driver's-side airbags and door reinforcement bars.
The simplification of the range follows the rationalisation of the Transit line-up last year, and should lead to production economies, However, the price cuts that Ford is offering probably owe more to strong competition in the CDV sector. The Courier 50 1.8D comes in at £7,440—£685 less than the previous Courier Popular and exactly £100 less than the new Vauxhall Combo Merit 1.7D.
The price changes also change the structure of Ford's CDV model mix. The Escort diesel van has dropped in price by around £1,000 but the Fiesta is down by only around £100, bringing both ranges closer to the Courier's level. Petrol and diesel versions are now the same price which is good news for diesel drivers (the differential used to be as much as £1,220 for the Courier) but is an effective increase in the cost of basic petrol-engined Fiestas and Couriers. This is bound to further reduce the small proportion of petrol models sold.
C A heavier version of the Courier van has been put on ice.
It would have been competing in a small sector already occupied by Renault's Extra 775, Citroen's C15 765 and Vauxhall's Combo 775—and perhaps Ford's own Escort 75. And no replacement is planned for the PI00 pickup. Without a rear-wheel-drive platform since the demise of the Sierra, Ford appears to be leaving the dwindling pickup market to the Japanese and East Europeans. The Flareside—a pickup based on the Transit 100 chassis—is likely to appear in dealers soon, at least as a limited edition.