Ford Transit gets auto, updated engines for 2017

FORD Australia has added an automatic transmission option to its Transit commercial van line, along with new engines and more equipment across the extensive range.

The new 2.0-litre EcoBlue turbo-diesel engine for the Transit and Transit Custom is also Euro 6 compliant, and brings improvements in power, torque and fuel economy, according to Ford Australia.

“The all-new EcoBlue engine in the Transit and Transit Custom offer better performance and better fuel economy, and coupled with the automatic transmission, combine to provide customers a technology-packed option in the van segment,” said president and CEO of Ford Australia, Graeme Whickman.

The new 2.0-litre turbo engine is said to be between 10 and 15kg lighter than the 2.2-litre DuroTorq motor that it replaces in the smaller Transit Custom, but continues on in the larger Transit.

Ford’s new EcoBlue unit uses a compact turbocharger, an offset crankshaft and an integrated inlet manifold to improve economy and reduce levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).

In fact, Ford claims the engine is the first within the company to achieve passenger car NVH levels.

It will come in two states of tune a 96kW/385Nm version (up 4kW and 35Nm and down 0.8L/100km in manual guise to 6.4L/100km over the old 2.2-litre engine), for the Transit Custom, and a more potent 125kW/405Nm tune for the larger version of the Transit that is up 11kW and 20Nm over the existing version.

Fuel figures for the higher output engine have yet to be confirmed.

Service intervals have also doubled to 30,000km.

Mr Whickman also added that the automatic transmission option would open up the Transit to a much wider segment of the medium van market.

The six-speed automatic also sees service in the United States in passenger models such as the Taurus and Explorer, and is fitted with a fluid coupling clutch, rather than a mechanical version.

It will compete with vehicles like the Toyota HiAce and Hyundai iLoad, both of which offer automatic transmissions within their respective ranges.

Prices have risen on some Transit variants, while the automatic transmission will cost $2750.

The base Transit Custom 290S front-wheel-drive van gets the 96kW version of the new engine, along with a new crosswind stability program, a larger rearview camera display that moves from the mirror to a new 4.0-inch multimedia screen, full hubcaps and a new chrome grille insert.

It goes up $1700 to $39,690 before on-road costs in manual guise, while the automatic option adds another $2750.

The larger Custom 340L gets the option of a $2100 City Nav Pack, which adds Ford’s Sync3 system to the Transit. It includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, swipe-and-pinch touchscreen control and satellite navigation.

The 340L also jumps $1700 in price in the manual version to $41,690 before on roads, or to $44,440 with the automatic transmission.

The even larger Transit 350L maintains the 2.2-litre engine in rear-wheel-drive manual form for $47,680 before on road costs, and can be optioned with the higher-spec 125kW 2.0-litre engine and front-wheel-drive automatic combo for $51,380.

The rest of the range, including the Transit 35E and 470E, as well as the single- and double-cab chassis 470E, maintain the same specification and pricing as before.

More than 100 colours can be optioned across the range, according to Ford.

So far this year, the Transit/Transit Custom pairing sits fifth in the 2.5-3.5-tonne van category to the end of March, with 284 units sold (of which eight are Transits).

It is behind the Renault Trafic (392), Volkswagen’s Transporter (386), the iLoad (1593) and the HiAce (1689).

2017 Ford Transit pricing*

290S Custom FWD 2.0L	$39,690
290S Custom FWD 2.0L (a)	$42,440
340L Custom FWD 2.0L	$41,690
340L Custom FWD 2.0L (a)	$44,440
350L Van RWD 2.2L	$47,680
350L Van FWD 2.0L (a)	$51,380
350E Van RWD 2.2L	$51,180
470E Van RWD 2.2L	$54,180
470E Single Cab Chassis RWD 2.2L	$49,180
470E Double Cab Chassis RWD 2.2L	$52,680
410L Bus RWD 2.2L	$57,680

*Excludes on-road costs