<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/ford/" rel="tag">Ford</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/autoline-on-autoblog/" rel="tag">Autoline on Autoblog</a></p><span style="font-weight: bold;"><big style="font-weight: bold;">Ford Transit Connect: Case Study in Overregulation</big><br /><br /></span><a href="http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/06/john-media-photo-3-opta.jpg" alt="" /></a>The Ford Transit Connect is a cool little van unlike anything else on the American market. In fact, I think it has the capability of becoming something of a cult car. But it's also a shining example of why the auto industry faces too much regulation.<br /><br />Even though the Transit Connect is already sold in 55 countries around the world it had to undergo numerous modifications before it could be sold in the American market. And while it's not at all unusual to modifiy imported vehicles up to our standards, it's hard to see how some of these changes will help the health or safety of American citizens.<br /><br />Some of these changes are so ridiculous and inconsequential that it's actually funny to see what they are. Funny, that is, until you realize all they're doing is driving up the price of the product.<br /><br />____________________________________________________________________________________<br /><em><br />John McElroy</em><em> is host of the TV program </em><em><a href="http://www.autolinedaily.com/">"Autoline Detroit"</a> and daily web video <a href="http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/daily/">"Autoline Daily"</a>. </em><em>Every week he brings his unique insights as an auto industry insider to Autoblog readers.<br /></em>____________________________________________________________________________________<p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/26/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/26/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/">Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/>Read</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/26/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19079900/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a> | <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/26/autoline-on-autoblog-with-john-mcelroy/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>
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