-Before we give our full attention to the 2015 Ford Transit 350 XLT that is the subject of this test, let’s take a moment to give a shout-out to its predecessor, the legendary Ford E-series/Econoline. Debuting in the early 1960s, the first-generation Econoline employed a forward-control layout that positioned the driver and passenger above the front axle and placed the engine between them. But by the end of the decade, Ford figured it could make some significant gains in interior volume and packaging efficiency by moving the engine forward of the driver. Ford figured correctly, and Chevy and Dodge soon followed suit, both makers moving to a revised layout in 1971. In 1975, Ford punched the front bodywork out even farther for improved interior functionality. Dodge already had an extended-body 15-passenger van, and Ford eventually matched that with its own “Super Wagon” extended-body 15-passenger model. Over dozens of years, the Econoline remained largely unchanged, treated to only two significant makeovers: the first in 1992 to soften the corners of the bodywork, and the second in 2008 to square it back up and bring its cosmetics in line with those of Ford’s pickups. READ MORE ››
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