Ford announced the introduction of the new 5.0-tonne Transit derivative, offering customers a van or chassis cab rated to 5,000kg GVM and available at Ford dealers from late November.
Ford’s toughest Transit ever features significant mechanical updates to offer customers best-ever payload and vehicle capability, while maintaining the durability, refinement and car-like driving characteristics that have made Transit a business favourite.
The 5.0-tonne Transit strengthens Ford’s offering in the high-GVM sector of the European van market and is poised to extend the company’s market leadership in commercial vehicle sales. The additional 300kg it delivers over the previous most-capable Transit variant will particularly appeal to customers desiring a heavier-rated donor vehicle for conversions including tippers, ambulances, police vans, and minicoaches with 19 seats or more.
“We know payload is a key factor for businesses’ productivity, which is why Ford’s new flagship Transit is the most capable, heaviest-rated van we’ve ever built,” said Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “We listened to our converter partners and their customers who need this extra capability for their businesses, whether it’s a tipper, an ambulance or larger minicoach. The 5.0-tonne Transit’s durable design and flexibility make it an ideal choice whatever their speciality.”
A bodystyle for every customer
The ability to create conversions that meet their individual operational needs is often crucial for 5.0-tonne LCV customers. Ford is making the 5.0-tonne option available across a broad range of Transit chassis cab variants, giving customers a choice of three wheelbases, four frame lengths, and single- or double-cabs with seating for up to seven occupants (including driver) to best suit their business’ specific requirements. Maximum chassis cab load capacity is 2,886kg for body conversion and payload, which equates to up to 2,558kg net payload when equipped with a factory-fitted flatbed body.
Transit chassis cab is ideal for heavier open-body conversions such as tippers or dropsides, aerial access platforms and vehicle transporters. The higher GVM rating and optional 10-speed automatic gearbox make 5.0-tonne Transit single chassis cab a highly capable emergency response donor for box body ambulances and police riot or command/control vehicles. The chassis cab range also suits conversion to minicoaches and high-capacity wheelchair accessible transport, where the increased payload and newly-uprated axle weights reduce the risk of overloaded vehicles in service.
The 5.0-tonne Transit is also available as Ford’s popular L4 high roof “Jumbo” van, with up to 2,383kg net payload, 15.1m3 load volume and enough floor space to carry five Euro pallets of cargo. New reinforced bodysides support durability when carrying heavier cargo; the existing flat load floor, tiedown points, integrated rear bumper step and 4,217mm load length are carried over to facilitate loading and carrying standard-length items such as pipe or board. Transit panel van is also suitable for heavier conversions including police vans, welfare vans and construction vehicles.
Customers requiring bespoke engineering solutions will benefit from Ford’s extensive Qualified Vehicle Modifier (QVM) network of 165 converters in 13 countries that meet Ford’s manufacturing, quality control and customer support standards. All QVM converters guarantee their work to the same level as the standard Ford warranty, protecting customers’ investment and ensuring quality ongoing support.
Converted vehicle customers also enjoy the support of Ford’s Special Vehicle Engineering team, who can assist with bespoke vehicles’ design and maintenance in person and remotely, maximising uptime and reducing workload on vehicle operators.
Uprated mechanicals for heavy-duty work
All 5.0-tonne Transit variants are rear-wheel drive for optimum traction when fully laden, and fitted with Ford’s HDT powertrain for optimum durability, performance and fuel efficiency. Ford’s 170PS 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine produces up to 390Nm of torque to help moving heavy loads, and is coupled to a smooth-shifting six-speed manual gearbox or Ford’s class-leading 10-speed automatic transmission.
The greater number of gear ratios in the 10-speed automatic means the Transit’s EcoBlue engine can consistently operate more closely to its peak efficiency and deliver a more responsive driving experience. Real-time adaptive shift scheduling allows the transmission to adapt to changing conditions, enabling the optimum gear selection for performance, fuel efficiency or refinement in any driving scenario.
The increased payload of the 5.0-tonne Transit demands uprated mechanicals to deliver extra capability while maintaining ease of maintenance and operation. The chassis features upgraded hub assemblies, wheels and wider 205mm rear tyres, as well as new uprated brakes on the rear axle, making light work of heavier loads. Panel vans also benefit from reinforced upper body structures and ancillaries to support greater cargo weights.
In addition, 5.0-tonne Transit introduces to Europe for the first time an uprated 3,500kg rear axle that has already proven its robustness and durability in North American Transit models. If specified with the 10-speed automatic gearbox, a new 2,100kg front axle is also fitted, which offers an additional 225kg load capacity over the standard version.
Easy to drive and maintain
The new 5.0-tonne Transit variant benefits from many of the key interior design, driver assistance and connectivity features introduced to the Transit family in 2019.
Customers can benefit from Ford’s latest SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system, and the Upfitter Interface Module can be specified to provide enhanced capabilities for converted vehicles. This system links converted elements to onboard vehicle data for optimum safety and productivity – for example, by not allowing a tipper body to operate unless the vehicle is parked and with the handbrake on.
Ford’s innovative connectivity features also help operators to plan maintenance and oversee vehicle security, leading to increased uptime. A FordPass Connect modem features as standard, allowing over-the-air software updates to minimise dealer visits and displaying key information such as vehicle location, oil life and tyre pressures through the FordPass Pro app, simplifying vehicle management. For larger fleets, FordPass Connect enables customers to benefit from manufacturer-grade vehicle data when using the Ford Telematics system, facilitating more effective fleet management and optimisation.