mlts22 wrote:
Apples and oranges. European campers don't really translate to the US. The main two things that are different are the generator and roof A/C (since there are only a few weeks each year that an air conditioner would be needed), and the cassette toilet versus the US black tank/gray tank system.
European rigs have more flexibility in design. A cassette toilet only needs an opening to the outside somewhere, and this could be accessed via the rear doors (as on the official Mercedes class "B" that was shown at the Düsseldorf show last year,) or a cut in the wall. The US system requires the toilet to either be located on top of the waste tank, or an expensive macerator/ejector system be used. Then it takes some plumbing to get both tanks to drain through one exit, and on the Travato, that means using a macerator pump to get the gray water out of the tank.
Generators and A/Cs are another issue, and require ground clearance.
The Ducato and ProMaster also have differences. In Europe, one can buy a 4WD Ducato, RWD Ducato, or a FWD Ducato. Here in the US, we only have FWD versions with a fraction of the options European models have. (European models get multiple Multijet engine choices, for example.) Aussie models come with a higher ground clearance. Ducatos also offer a lot more roof heights and lengths abroad than here.
In Europe, Transits are not as popular. However, the van markets in the US and Europe have differences. European urban areas, it isn't about expressways, it is going down narrow cobblestone alleys, so an engine with high MPG and low horsepower is acceptable there as the van may never get past 60 kph in a day's work. In the US, a van can go from 10-20 mph to 70-80 MPH, and require more horsepower to do so safely.
A Transit suits US needs better than a ProMaster. It ships in a higher roof and longer configuration, has two engine choices that are well suited for higher altitudes, has a much larger dealer network, and has a lot more usable configurations. This isn't to say that the PM is a bad vehicle... it has an excellent cost per mile. However, the Transit seems well suited for the US market.
Thanks for all that info, very informative, BUT I still don't understand how they can't design more here on the ProMaster regardless. I like the European designs better. I think there is a BIG market here, us being one ;o), and I think they are simply underestimating that market. I guess that's going to depend on how well the Travato does. But we like it. ;o)