IF Ford does indeed replace the venerable E series with something like the Transit it will be up to the needs of us who've come to love/hate them so far. Being the USA I'm sure (or hopeful) we'll have strong frames and suitable optional drive trains to serve as replacements.

IF Ford is hell bent on eliminating one series in favor of another there won't be much the buying public can do convincing them otherwise. It'll inconvenience some but commercially anything new will be quickly embraced by the sales force, leasing companies, upfitters and aftermarket suppliers. If its all that's available they'll make the best of it and not much will stop that progress.

The older Sprinters I've seen have horrible body rust issues which scares me---I'd always thought of Daimler Motors as a better builder than I've seen so far. The Chrysler badged counterparts fare no better----terribly under powered and scary brakes. If these issues are resolved I'd have no problem with a Ford Sprinter-live vehicle at all.

Upfitters and converters seem capable of rapid changes and reactions to a new vehicle---I've often wondered if the bigger ones don't receive some sort of advanced help from the manufacturers? Sprinter-wise there is at least as much available for ladder racks, interior shelving and on and on---it can't be that tough for them to make changes.

Since the E vans will last until at least 2013 there will still be many available in the used markets. We might see prices in the used segment rise for a short while if demand favors the E's but will soon enough settle back to reasonable and acceptable levels. After all it will be "old technology" therefore mostly "worthless" to the general USA buying public?

 

Killing the Econoline is like throwing the baby away with the bathwater. Sure, Ford and others were caught with their pants down when recession and high fuel prices hit them as a double-whammy in 2008.

Ford is doing a good job refreshing the F-trucks. The concept is very old technology: a cab to ride in and bed to carry stuff. Yet, it still works.

Ford could do the same to the Vans -- and coat-tail the trucks. Just like Gearloose said, put ecoboost and in some, smaller diesels in others. Put internet technology in the cab, etc. Besides the BFH, most people now carry laptops / tablets to do their job as well. People update websites with daily progress from the job-site, so their bosses see what is going on. There are people with video cameras who upload images while going job-site to job-site in their vans. Econoline has to improve a lot to allow for that, etc. etc.

Sure, the back is filled with 3500 lbs of tools, pallets of tile, cement, etc. whatever. And these are rolling vaults and thieves cannot break into easily. Workers don't want to think twice about the van. They got more important things to worry about.

Showing up with a Sprinter to a job-site is like a ballerina coming to a mud-wrestling contest. GM vans are proven POS, so that's out too.

From the Construction Industry perspective (huge market): Econoline's high ground clearance does nothing for nobody, except rollovers. I am not surprised lawsuit costs are sky-high on these. I would venture to say that 99% of Econoline users never drive over boulders of Utah's National Parks. These van are being used on the streets.

I am sure that hundreds of bright engineers working at Ford can design this chassis to ride a little lower and carry the same payload. Even fully loaded they should be lower. If people need high ground clearance, F-trucks are the answer.

But hey, this is America, if there is a need (and there is) someone will fill it -- I agree with JWA on that. If it ain't Ford, Japs will steal this one too and build a van just like it.

Maybe, Ford R&D people reading this Forum can convince the top echelons of the big mistake that would be...

 

If Ford does discontinue the E series, I would love to see a spin off company buy the factory, tooling, etc. and license the drivetrain from Ford and keep it in production.

I did some snooping around as to what it would take to lower the height and keep the weight capacity --- it is doable with some mild tricks, like composite springs (tested and validated on the GMC Astro and Corvette and proven quite reliable).

The front coils are a bit tricker, but not impossible to do a lot less travel and still carry the load with composite coils, or gasp, composite or steel torsion bars mounted on the frame.

That way, most of the running gear can be kept as is.

 

The idea of spin-offs was debated in late 2008 before and during the Auto bailout. I thought at the time, it was the best way to go. I still think it is. I think that a start-up company is better for the Auto industry, it is better for the customer. There is a lot of good with many existing vehicle lines, but they need to be reformed. I just don't think big auto is best equipped to re-invent itself. I don't want to get into politics here.

I'd love to see the Econoline picked up / licensed by New Motor Company. Heck, I will get into politics. I believe that innovation comes from the little guy. Henry Ford started out as a shade-tree mechanic after-all. That is why I really love aftermarket guys.

 

I seriously doubt Ford will do that.