Ford has unveiled the 2009 E-Series full-size van, which recieves many interior upgrades for the new model year.
America's best-selling full size van gets a new integrated navigation system, SIRIUS Travel Link system and a new instrument panel with built in auxiliary switches. The new Ford Work Solutions system will help business owners run their businesses better.
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PRESS RELEASE:
2009 Ford e-series: Interior updgrades, more 'smart' features for america's best-selling full-size van
* Ford's class-leading E-Series full-size van delivers even more functionality for 2009, thanks to class-leading convenience features including integrated navigation system and SIRIUS Travel Link™, plus a redesigned instrument panel that includes four new upfitter switches.
* Ford Work Solutions, a collection of affordable 'smart' technologies – including four industry-first features – will provide E-Series customers connectivity, flexibility and security to better run key aspects of their business – from their van, cutaway or wagon, even on the job site.
* Ford is the commercial vehicle leader in the U.S. with 40 percent share of the total commercial vehicle market and has been the full-size van leader with the Ford E-Series for 29 years running. Manufactured at Ford's Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, Ohio, 2009 Ford E-Series will be available in August.
ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2008 – Ford E-Series – America's top selling full-size van for 29 years running – delivers an improved interior for 2009, along with new tools designed to help customers manage their fleets more efficiently, track and secure tools and better serve customers.
E-Series updates include a redesigned instrument panel and console, door trim panels with more storage, built-in auxiliary switches users can customize, wider-opening rear doors, more comfortable seats, a first-in-class factory-installed navigation system and Ford Work Solutions.
Comments (21)
Ok, so style is probably the last thing on anyone's mind when they're interested in this, but does anyone else think that the tires look disproportionately small?
Posted by SEALBoy | February 26, 2008 10:05 AM
Posted on February 26, 2008 10:05
yay for fleet vehicles!
Posted by Dan | February 26, 2008 10:33 AM
Posted on February 26, 2008 10:33
Good god, how the heck did this thing ever get passed a proposal stage.....must be the same group that approved the Aztec.
Posted by Topper | February 26, 2008 11:00 AM
Posted on February 26, 2008 11:00
Who cares? The only ones driving this beast will be the florists.
Posted by WS | February 26, 2008 11:04 AM
Posted on February 26, 2008 11:04
Yickes!
I dislike those headlights on the f-350 but atleast I can see that they fit the character of the truck. In this application, they just look tacked on and completely out of place.
But like the previous poster said, the only ones to drive this thing will be flourists.
Posted by Tom | February 26, 2008 12:36 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 12:36
And now you know why I wont buy really small cars........ever!!!
Posted by Tommy Boy | February 26, 2008 12:44 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 12:44
Is it me, or does the front end look out of place?
Posted by Jim | February 26, 2008 1:29 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 13:29
Fugly!
Looks like a huge pig!!!
I know that these kind of vans are supposed to be pratical not beautiful, so, JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE.
No matter what you do, a brick with wheels (aka full size van) will not be any prettier with very a modern car (or truck) front.
Posted by Rafael Fernandes | February 26, 2008 2:18 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 14:18
Fernandez, I realize that it's suppose to be practical, but does really have to be this ugly?? If this was a newborn child, the doctor would have slapped both parents and offered them a free vasectomy!!
Posted by Topper | February 26, 2008 2:30 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 14:30
Its a big work van, who cares what it looks like.
Posted by gm0n3y | February 26, 2008 2:50 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 14:50
This is targeted to a very specific demographic. 15 passenger vans are targeted to hospitality, travel, campus transports, etc. The cargo version is targeted to contractors, etc. The potential buyers of this vehicle are looking for cargo/passenger capacity and a level of day to day reliability. How the vehicle looks is very low in the pecking order.
Posted by longdxcommuter | February 26, 2008 3:24 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 15:24
and the winner of the ugliest vehicle ever made goes to................
Posted by Peanut | February 26, 2008 4:11 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 16:11
A.) It's a cargo/utility van. Seen in the picture above, i would guess it's setup as a shuttle vehicle for 10-15 passengers. Those people won't fit in a Prius or Jetta. Trust me, we've tried...
B.) Anyone buying a full size van doesn't have many choices. 3 would be my current guess. 4 if you want to include the Freightliner/Daimler things. And for all the kids replying in this thread, Mr. Contractor doesn't give a ragged rats ass what it looks like. As long as it hauls all their shit and doesn't break down. Trust me, we deal with them every week.
C.) Peel the tint off the window of your Honda and look more closely at the world around you kids. Here in the States, they are still the vehicle of choice for utilities, contractors, and municipalities. Especially since every manufacturer of automobiles has stoped making mini-vans with a cargo configuration. You simply cannot load body panels, bumpers, plate glass, carpet, furniture, and the like in a Santa Fe. Trust me, we've tried...
D.) I'd wrestle you to be first in line to tell Ford that they are going off track in the cosmetics department. Whoever designed the the headlamp/grill area of these 2008 and up trucks should certainly have their ass removed, and sewn on their foreheads. The grill isn't bad, but those upside-down headlamp assemblies have to go. Other than that, the bodylines on the Econolodge really haven't changed much. If you are old enough to remember full size vans back in the 80's, these pics shouldn't invoke the odd replies i'm seeing. A claw hammer built in 2008 still looks like the one Gramps swung back in the day, correct ?
Posted by Trooper Bri | February 26, 2008 5:39 PM
Posted on February 26, 2008 17:39
if you look on the interior youll notice it doesnt have a cd play, it cant go faster then 80mph the instrument cluster is setup in a way to show all the gauges and have them be very direct. It would be a waste of money for ford to try to make a fleet vehicle look nice. This has very fey dutys it can peform because thats all it was ever built to do. Thats like complaining that a big rig looks ugly but in reality it has a job to do nothing more nothing less.
Posted by unknown | February 27, 2008 12:48 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 00:48
Well I don't see a damn thing wrong with this van. It looks better then the one it replaced, not to mentioned better from the inside out. The new dashboard is a big step forward then the one it replaced, it not only looks much better but it's more user friendly which is a big plus for people using these kinds of vans for work everyday.
Posted by SteelCity1981 | February 27, 2008 3:16 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 03:16
"Peanut:
and the winner of the ugliest vehicle ever made goes to................"
......Maserati!
Posted by Sabby | February 27, 2008 8:15 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 08:15
Finally, Ford updated it's E-series van's interior. How could the 2008 module have such a changed grill and headlights but no change to the interior? Especially if Ford wants to stay as the best selling commercial van in the U.S.! Why did they wait for 2009 to make this change when they could have just done it for 2008? People who already bought the 08' generation wasted their money.
Posted by saheed | February 27, 2008 12:59 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 12:59
^^^ Exactly my thoughts. The 09 interior should have been in the 08 series.
But regardless the 08 series have changed in many areas that the last generation either didn't have or not enough.
Posted by SteelCity1981 | February 27, 2008 11:19 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 23:19
Front crash tests should be great! With a grill that large even George Foreman will be scared....lol
Posted by Brian | February 28, 2008 12:14 AM
Posted on February 28, 2008 00:14
Sabby:
One day, I'm hiring a hacker to track down where you live, just so I can show up on your front door, take a bow, and then slap you. Maserati never built anything this ugly, ever.
saheed: agreed, but the point is that no one but commercial buyers want this anyway.... they probably hit a deadline, had to make the 2008, then used some extra time after the launch to update the interior for 09.
But again, who cares, commercial buyers usually rip out pieces of the interior to modify it for some other purpose.
Posted by Allen | February 28, 2008 1:02 PM
Posted on February 28, 2008 13:02
Good Point!!!
Posted by Saheed | February 29, 2008 1:01 PM
Posted on February 29, 2008 13:01