MS-RT Transit Connect gets rally influence

Need a load-lugger that bridges the gap between Rallye Sport and Transit? Oh look!

Hot vans are becoming increasingly common sights on UK roads and MS-RT is right at the forefront of catering to the demand. The Welsh firm’s latest product, a pepped-up version of the Ford Transit Connect, is one of its sportiest-looking yet, doing as good a job as we’ve seen of melding Rallye Sport with load-lugger so far – this side of the full-blown Supervan, anyway.

For starters, the MS-RT’s Connect sits on a set of 18-inch bronze alloy wheels supplied by OZ Racing, which help fill the arches of a new bodykit that’s been designed and made in house at M-Sport’s van division. It certainly looks the part, although a quad-exit exhaust system might be slight overkill on a van that comes with a choice of 1.5-litre diesel or three-pot petrol. Or perhaps it’s so silly it’s cool. We’ll leave you to decide.

The interior has been kitted out with a sports steering wheel featuring a carbon inlay, while there’s Nappa leather and suede fabric on the seats and door cards. Thrown in for free is an MS-RT bag containing van care products; if you opt for one of the 40 Launch example models, there’s also a build number plaque and, more importantly, sticker pack! Oh, and the launch van comes finished in Magnetic Grey.

No changes have been made to the oily bits, meaning the most power on offer comes from the 120hp diesel. Manual and automatic versions are offered, with the former specification starting at £23,995 and the latter a grand pricier – leaving the MS-RT model at least £3,330 costlier than Ford’s Transit Connect Sport. Since MS-RT is a Ford-approved modifier, sales for its version are handled by the regular manufacturer dealer network, although the warranty is provided by the Welsh firm.

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