Ford_Transit

The bold new grille is to please the American market where the the Transit will be sold for the first time

SPRING 2014 sees the launch of the millennium – the arrival of a new Ford Transit that is completely different from the nuts and bolts upwards.

Here at Business Vans we are already signed up for the first press drives in Barcelona in February, prior to the general launch to the public in spring and we’ll be bringing you first reports of how it drives.

Ford is promising best-in-class cost of ownership figures, best in class fuel economy, better maintenance costs and up to 11% more cargo volume than the outgoing model

Looking at the picture, you certainly won’t mistake this van for any other marque thanks to that enormous grille. There’s a reason for that – the Transit will also be going on sale in the US for the first time and the Yanks like macho looks.

But Ford has now revealed some fresh details about the new contender – and we’re salivating already at the thought of finally getting behind the wheel of this new van.

Ford is promising best-in-class cost of ownership figures, best in class fuel economy, better maintenance costs and up to 11% more cargo volume than the outgoing model.

Order books are now open for deliveries next spring and prices start at £20,795 ex-VAT.

The new model is part of a 24-month renewal of Ford’s entire commercial vehicle range for Europe. The Ford Transit (with no adornment to the name) comes to market alongside International Van of the Year winners for 2013 and 2014, the Ford Transit Custom (one-tonne model) and Ford Transit Connect, with the Ford Transit Courier also to be launched next year.

The Transit is powered by an improved 2.2-litre diesel engine. The Transit ECOnetic models deliver best-in-class CO2 emissions from 169g/km (with 62mph fixed speed limiter), equivalent to combined fuel consumption from 44.1mpg. Compared to the ECOnetic version of the outgoing Transit, fuel consumption has been reduced by a further 6%.

The standard Ford Transit powertrain features the 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine with a choice of three power ratings (100bhp, 125bhp, 155bhp) and a six-speed manual transmission. Customers also have the option of 125bhp and 155bhp HDT6 engines which meet the Euro HDT VI emission standards.