Some Genius Made a 2014 Ford Transit ST and We Love It - Jalopnik

At Jalopnik, we emotion erstwhile radical travel up with brainsick combinations to marque unexpected vehicles, abruptly go show gods (or wannabe gods). Take this 2014 Ford Transit Connect listed connected Cars & Bids. At archetypal glance, sure, it’s conscionable a Ford Transit van. But underneath the expanse metals beats an unexpected heart: the turbocharged I4 from a 2014 Focus ST.

Together, we person what Ford would apt person ne'er fixed us, a Ford Transit Connect ST. From the outside, everything appears stock, speech from the ST badging. It’s a subtle hint letting you cognize that this Transit genuinely is thing special, and different.

Sure, keen-eyed observers mightiness admit a fewer ST details similar the 18-inch Focus ST wheels, the rally car-like mud flaps and the halfway exit exhaust. But there’s much wherever that came from.

Now to beryllium clear, this van isn’t conscionable a Focus ST motor thrown into a Transit Connect. This conveyance has been fixed each the mods to guarantee that it drives well, similar a Focus ST, too.

Starting with the ST’s 2.5-liter turbocharged I4, which successful its banal signifier makes 252 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque, and is paired to a six-speed manual. That portion of the drivetrain has been modified with a signifier 2 tune from Cobb, a signifier 3 clutch kit from SPEC Clutch, a Mishimoto radiator, and a limited-slip differential from MFactory. The proprietor besides threw connected an Eibach lowering outpouring kit. Unfortunately, a dyno expanse wasn’t provided for the Transit’s mods, truthful it’s not known conscionable however overmuch of the enactment whitethorn person accrued powerfulness output.

Inside there’s what looks to beryllium the ST’s Recaro seats and its full instrumentality cluster, auxiliary gauges connected the halfway stack for things similar lipid unit and temp, and a bully dependable strategy setup including a Kenwood caput portion and an Alpine amp.

There’s a alternatively glaring occupation with the instrumentality cluster. The seller says that erstwhile the mill clump was swapped for the ST clump “the instrumentality clump was programmed to show the chassis mileage.” That means that the nonstop full mileage of this happening isn’t known, though the seller notes he’s enactment 7,000 miles connected it since the swap was done successful May of 2021.

Other problems look to beryllium a database of weird electrical gremlins similar the radiator instrumentality remaining on, oregon the a/c turning connected aft the car has tally for a bit. Power steering besides conscionable kicks successful aft “the archetypal 5 oregon 10 feet of driving,” and the traction control, ABS and rearview camera each bash not work. Maybe that comes down to immoderate programming things. But regardless, each things to support successful mind.

If you tin spot the imaginable successful the database of electrical maladies, the small scratches present and determination connected the outside, and the deterioration connected the spot bolsters, there’s inactive clip to nab this instauration for your garage. At the clip of writing, there’s inactive six days left, and the bid is astatine $12,500.