- All-new Transit joins the nation’s best-selling lineup of
commercial vehicles, giving Ford customers best-in-class fuel economy,
the segment’s lowest cost of ownership, increased capability and Built
Ford Tough durability
- Ford Transit offers the broadest lineup of configurations for
full-size van customers, available in more variations than the
competition combined – three body lengths, two wheelbases, three roof
heights and in van, wagon, chassis cab and cutaway variations
- Ford Transit will achieve an average of 25 percent better fuel economy and haul at least 300 pounds more than today’s E-Series
DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 14, 2012 – The familiar van that
delivers packages or shuttles you to the airport is about to change in a
revolutionary way. Ford’s all-new full-size 2014 Transit van will
provide professional tradesmen and commercial fleet customers with
unmatched fuel economy, innovative new configurations and leading
versatility in the expanding commercial vehicle market.
“The all-new Transit is a game changer,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford’s
president of The Americas. “Transit raises the game for our customers in
North America and around the world with even greater work capability
and significantly lower operating costs, helping improve their
productivity and bottom lines. These, literally, are the vehicles people
trust and rely on for their livelihoods.”
With global commercial vehicle sales expected to grow by 4.8
million during the next several years to 21 million units annually by
2017, Transit represents a major opportunity.
Ford is the second-largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in the
world and best-selling commercial vehicle brand in North America. The
company is leveraging its One Ford product strategy to meet the needs of
Transit customers on six continents and in 116 markets with vans that
are Built Ford Tough, more fuel efficient and even more capable.
Transit joins the most fuel-efficient lineup in Ford Motor
Company’s history. Next year, Ford will offer eight vehicles rated at 40
mpg or higher – double 2011’s total, and more than any other automaker.
Ford tops Toyota in fuel economy in every segment in which both
companies compete.
Transit is born from a combined total of nearly a century of
hard-earned experience delivering two distinct full-size vans to
customers in North America, Europe and other global markets. For North
America, Transit eventually replaces the E-Series nameplate, first sold
in 1961 as Ford Econoline and America’s best-selling commercial van for
33 years. In other global markets, this all-new vehicle will replace
today’s popular, market-specific Transit models, first sold in 1965 and
the best-selling commercial van in Europe.
Transit also is joined by the upgraded 2014 Ford Transit Connect,
which pioneered the small van market in the U.S. starting three years
ago and has been a hit with cost-conscious commercial fleets and small
business proprietors.
Superior cargo hauling and people moving capabilities combined with
best-in-class fuel economy were design imperatives for the all-new
Transit range.
Transit will be offered in three body lengths; two wheelbases;
three roof heights; van, wagon, chassis cab and cutaway bodystyles; and
in XL and XLT trim levels.
Power of choice
“The Transit is the new standard in full-size vans and customer
choice,” said Director of Ford Commercial Vehicle Operations Len Deluca.
“We’re going from an exclusively gasoline engine lineup of two V8s and a
V10 in the E-Series to offering customers a standard 3.7-liter V6, the
same 3.5-liter EcoBoost® engine proven in Ford F-150 and an all-new 3.2-liter Power Stroke® Diesel option.”
Ford will offer Transit’s 3.7-liter V6 with a compressed natural
gas/liquid propane gas (CNG/LPG) prep kit to assist customers running
their vehicles with this abundant, affordable, clean fuel alternative.
The 3.7-liter V6 is also engineered for optimal performance with E85
flex- fuel capability.
The all-new 3.2-liter Power Stroke five-cylinder common rail turbo
diesel, based on Ford’s proven Duratorq global diesel engine
architecture, features state-of-the-art fuel, turbo and emissions
systems that meet stringent U.S. clean diesel standards, providing an
ideal balance of fuel economy and job capability.
For maximum capability, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost promises to be a
trusted workhorse, whether carrying materials to the job site or towing a
trailer with Transit’s available Class IV hitch.
Each engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission for efficient rear-wheel-drive operation.
Biggest range ever
For Transit, the power of choice goes beyond powertrain options to
encompass multiple lengths and three roof heights to provide full-size
van buyers with the precise combination and configuration they require.
The high-roof Transit features 81.5 inches of interior cargo
height, enough headroom for a person six feet, five inches tall to stand
upright in the cargo area. The medium-roof can accommodate up to 72.0
inches of cargo height and the low-roof has almost 56.0 inches of cargo
height to provide an ideal combination of payload management, upfit
readiness and garageability.
Cargo volume ranges from about 250 to almost 500 cubic feet as a
jumbo configuration – nearly 80 percent more space than the largest
E-Series – and over twice the volume of today’s standard E-Series.
Essentially, one jumbo van can haul the volume of two current models in a
fuel-efficient manner.
Transit’s rear cargo doors can open up to 270 degrees for easy loading and unloading.
The Transit interior has been developed for easy upfit of racks,
bins, shelving and other cargo storage and hauling solutions. The
largest passenger version can carry up to 15 people.
A 6.5-inch touch screen display with navigation and SYNC® with MyFord Touch® – Ford’s highly acclaimed voice-activated communications and entertainment system – is also available.
Driving quality
The all-new Ford Transit was designed with improved handling, steering and ride qualities.
A power rack-and-pinion steering setup provides exceptionally
communicative steering feel to the driver, serving as a confidence
builder.
The front suspension consists of subframe-mounted MacPherson struts
and a stabilizer bar for smoother, flatter cornering, combined with
progressive rear leaf springs and heavy-duty gas-charged dampers for
well-controlled ride quality – regardless of load status.
Minimized operating costs
Transit’s global design delivers on the same customer expectations
in 116 markets worldwide where this sturdy commercial vehicle will be
available, requirements such as versatility, fuel efficiency and low
operating costs.
Transit has been developed to be efficient to service and maintain,
with specialized technical service support and extended operating hours
available at more than 600 Ford Business Preferred Network dealers.
Designed and developed to provide efficient service over the long
haul, Ford Transit scheduled maintenance costs for a three-year usage
cycle are projected to be more than 30 percent less than a Chevrolet
Express 1500 with the standard 4.3-liter V6, helping give Transit the
segment’s lowest cost of ownership per cubic foot or pounds of cargo
transported.
Built Ford Tough
The all-new Ford Transit has been engineered to deliver a
severe-usage service life of 10 years and 150,000 miles. Transit
features rugged unibody construction and extensive application of
high-strength and boron steel that’s been tested to the same standards
as E-Series vehicles at Ford’s proving grounds and in the hands of
real-world fleet customers in North America.
A durability program to deliver on Built Ford Tough customer
requirements included 148 prototype vehicles, with a regimen of 215
separate tests to validate the long-haul functionality of various
vehicle systems and hardware.
Cumulatively, Transit durability test vehicles were driven more
than 4.6 million miles, or far enough to circle the globe 185 times.
Transit van and wagon models will be available at Ford dealers
starting next fall. They will be built at Ford’s recently upgraded
Kansas City manufacturing facility.
