Ford’s new Transit and Transit Custom commercial vehicles powered by the all-new, state-of-the-art 2.0-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel engine made their global debut in the United Kingdom earlier this week.
New from the ground up, the next-generation Ford EcoBlue engine enhances fuel efficiency by up to 13 per cent compared with the outgoing 2.2-litre TDCi engine, with CO2 emissions from 157 g/km,* and delivers significant improvements in low-rpm torque for enhanced driveability. The new engine – available to order now – also will deliver up to 2-year/60,000 km (37,000 mile) variable service intervals for Transit and Transit Custom operators.
The all-new downsized 2.0-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel engine has been engineered to meet Ford’s rigorous commercial vehicle durability standards, powering Transit vehicles through the equivalent of 5.5 million km (3.4 million miles) of punishing durability testing, including 400,000 km (250,000 miles) of testing at the hands of real-world Transit customers.
“The challenge was to take our best-selling Transit and make it cheaper to operate, improve performance, cleaner in terms of emissions, quieter in the cabin, safer and even more durable,” said Pete Reyes, Ford of Europe’s head of commercial vehicles. “That’s exactly what we did with the new Transit and Transit Custom with the all-new Ford EcoBlue engine.”
Clean diesel technologies enable ultra-low emissions in line with stringent Euro Stage VI standards that will be introduced in September 2016, requiring a 55 per cent reduction in NOx emissions compared to Euro Stage V standards.
In addition to the all-new engine line-up, Transit and Transit Custom vehicles also are available to order now with advanced driver assistance technologies including Side Wind Stabilisation and Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. From late 2016, customers also will be able to specify a six‑speed automatic transmission in place of a manual gearbox, and a new rear air suspension option on Transit Custom Kombi models.
The two-tonne Transit and one-tonne Transit Custom vehicles are core models within Ford’s renewed Transit range, which also includes the smaller all-new Transit Connect and Transit Courier vans. The success of this expanded line-up helped Ford become Europe’s No.1 selling commercial vehicle brand in 2015 – for the first time in 19 years – with total sales of 280,000, a year-over-year increase of 23 per cent.
Growth has continued in the first quarter of 2016, with combined Transit and Transit Custom sales in Europe of 50,100 vehicles, a rise of 15 per cent over the previous year.
In parallel with the all-new powertrain, new Transit and Transit Custom models also benefit from advanced new driver assistance and vehicle technologies to enhance confidence and comfort behind the wheel.
An upgraded Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system, fitted to both new models as standard equipment, provides an enhanced suite of functions to improve vehicle stability in extreme driving situations including three Ford-patented features:
- Side Wind Stabilisation – a new system that applies the brakes on one side of the vehicle to reduce the effect of a sudden side wind gust on the vehicle’s path
- Curve Control – a unique Ford-developed program designed to slow the vehicle in a safe and stable manner when it enters a bend like a motorway exit ramp too quickly
- Roll Stability Control – designed to help prevent your vehicle rolling over by controlling both engine torque and individual wheel braking
Inside the cabin, Transit customers can now specify Ford’s SYNC 2 voice-activated connectivity system with a new high-resolution 6-inch colour touch screen, featuring advanced voice control of audio, navigation and mobile phones. On Transit Custom vehicles, a new 4‑inch colour display is standard on vehicles equipped with the SYNC connectivity system, in place of the previous 3.5-inch screen. From the outside, new Transit and Transit Custom models fitted with the all-new Ford 2.0-litre EcoBlue engine are identified by a new chrome finish strip in the lower front grille.
For improved comfort and convenience in urban driving, customers of Transit front-wheel drive derivatives and Transit Custom models will be able to specify a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission from late 2016. The transmission offers smooth, responsive and efficient performance in partnership with the Ford EcoBlue diesel, including Auto-Start-Stop where fitted, and also provides the option of manual shifting using buttons mounted on the gear lever.
The unique-to-segment rear air suspension system is developed specially for the Transit Custom and meets Ford’s full commercial vehicle durability standards. The air suspension system delivers a supple, controlled and level ride across a wide range of load conditions, providing improved passenger comfort and vehicle dynamics on Kombi M1 models.
The updated Transit and Transit Custom models offer commercial vehicle operators the same comprehensive line-up of vehicle variants including multiple roof height and wheelbase options, a wide choice of gross vehicle weights, and bodystyles with van, kombi and double-cab-in-van variants. Transit customers can further select from front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and Intelligent All Wheel Drive derivatives, along with Chassis Cab and Minibus bodystyles.
