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The Ford Transit is a family of
light commercial vehicle A light commercial vehicle (LCV) in the European Union, Australia and New Zealand is a commercial carrier vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of no more than 3.5 metric tons (tonnes). The LCV designation is also occasionally used in both Canad ...
s manufactured by the
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
since 1965, primarily as a cargo van, but also available in other configurations including a large passenger van (marketed as the Ford Tourneo in some markets since 1995), cutaway van chassis, and a
pickup truck A pickup truck or pickup is a light-duty truck that has an enclosed cabin, and a back end made up of a cargo bed that is enclosed by three low walls with no roof (this cargo bed back end sometimes consists of a tailgate and removable covering) ...
. The vehicle is also known as the Ford T-Series (T-150, T-250, T-350), a nomenclature shared with Ford's other light commercial vehicles, the
Ford F-Series The Ford F-Series is a series of light-duty trucks marketed and manufactured by Ford since the 1948 model year. Slotted above the Ford Ranger in the Ford truck model range, the F-Series is marketed as a range of full-sized pickup trucks. ...
trucks, and the
Ford E-Series The Ford E-Series (also known as the Ford Econoline or Ford Club Wagon) is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for model year 1961 as the replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, the E-Se ...
chassis. , 8 million Transit vans have been sold, making it the third best-selling van of all time and has been produced across four basic platform generations (debuting in 1965, 1986, 2000, and 2013 respectively), with various "facelift" versions of each. The first product of the merged
Ford of Europe Ford of Europe GmbH is a subsidiary company of Ford Motor Company founded in 1967 in Cork, Ireland, with headquarters in Cologne, Germany. History Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 by the merger of Ford of Britain, Ford Germany, and Irish H ...
, the Transit was originally marketed in Western Europe and Australia. By the end of the twentieth century, it was marketed nearly globally with the exception of North America until 2013 when it replaced the
Ford E-Series The Ford E-Series (also known as the Ford Econoline or Ford Club Wagon) is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for model year 1961 as the replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, the E-Se ...
van. Upon its introduction in North America, the Transit quickly became the best-selling van of any type in the United States, minivan sales included. That mirrors the success the Transit has achieved in Europe, where it has been the best-selling light commercial vehicle for forty years, and in some countries the term "Transit" has passed into common usage as a
generic trademark A generic trademark, also known as a genericized trademark or proprietary eponym, is a trademark or brand name that, because of its popularity or significance, has become the generic term for, or synonymous with, a general class of products ...
applying to any light commercial van in the Transit's size bracket.


Taunus Transit (1953)

Predecessor of the British and German-built Transit, the first production Ford to wear the "Transit" badge was a van built in Ford's
Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
plant in Germany. It was introduced in 1953 as FK 1000 (carrying 1,000 kg) with a 1.2-litre
inline-four engine A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft. The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the ...
from the contemporary Taunus. In 1955 the engine capacity was enlarged to 1.5 litres. From 1961, this vehicle was called the Ford Taunus Transit. Production of this model ceased in 1965.


Brief historical view

On 9 May 1945, the day after the unconditional surrender of the
German Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
in the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, production at the German
Ford-Werke AG Ford-Werke GmbH is a German car manufacturer headquartered in Niehl, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, which operates two large manufacturing facilities in Germany, a plant in Cologne and a plant in Saa ...
in
Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
(Köln) resumed. Because the production of civilian cars in the
occupied zone Military occupation, also known as belligerent occupation or simply occupation, is the effective military control by a ruling power over a territory that is outside of that power's sovereign territory.Eyāl Benveniśtî. The international law ...
was reserved for the British (for instance for
Ford of Britain Ford of Britain (officially Ford Motor Company Limited)The Ford 'companies' or corporate entities referred to in this article are: * Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan, USA, incorporated 16 June 1903 * Ford Motor Company Limited, incorporat ...
), Ford-Werke AG limited itself to the production of trucks (until 1948). Those trucks based on the slightly modified war models V 3000 S, B 3000 S und V 3000 A as they were already produced before and during the Second World War in the Ford production facilities in the Third Reich. Those trucks were now called "Rhein" and "Ruhr". At that time neither Ford of Britain nor Ford Werke AG were 100% subsidiaries of
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
in
Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...
and before the Second World War each company had its own more or less protected market. Until Germany declared war on the US in December 1941, almost half of the
shares In financial markets, a share is a unit of equity ownership in the capital stock of a corporation, and can refer to units of mutual funds, limited partnerships, and real estate investment trusts. Share capital refers to all of the shares of ...
of the Ford-Werke AG were in German hands, as well as its production sites were managed by the Reich Commissioner for the Treatment of Hostile Property - Johannes Krohn. Just as Ford also had to comply with the type restrictions of the Schell-Plan, which were introduced in March 1939 in anticipation of the war. After the war, several economical boundaries were abolished and local markets did not exist anymore in the same way that they existed before. With this, Ford of Britain and Ford-Werke AG suddenly became more competitive on the whole European Continent than local market subsidiaries of their parent company in Detroit. In 1951 Ford Werke AG launched the FK commercial vehicle series, FK standing for Ford Köln, with different-sized vehicles (FK2000 with 2 tons payload, FK3000 with 3 tons payload, FK3500 with 3,5 tons payload, etc.). The FK series was successor of the "Rhein" and "Ruhr" trucks. In 1953, the FK series were rounded off with the light delivery van FK1000/FK1250 (1ton/1,25tons payload), in competition to the
Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German Automotive industry, motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a ...
Type 2 VW Bus, the
DKW DKW (''Dampf-Kraft-Wagen'', en, "steam-powered car", also ''Deutsche Kinder-Wagen'' en, "German children's car". ''Das-Kleine-Wunder'', en, "the little wonder" or ''Des-Knaben-Wunsch'', en, "the boy's wish"- from when the company built to ...
Type F89L ''Schnellaster'' or the Vidal & Sohn Tempo Matador. As usual in the
Anglo-Saxon countries The Anglosphere is a group of English-speaking nations that share historical and cultural ties with England, and which today maintain close political, diplomatic and military co-operation. While the nations included in different sources vary, ...
in those days, Ford's marketing experts attached more importance to the model/series designation than to the "Ford" label as a brand. Rumors that Ford banned the German Ford-Werke AG from using the Ford logo and instead introduced the Taunus brand are untenable. Also most British Ford products had no Ford emblem. The commercial vehicles produced at Ford-Werke AG were marketed with the FK logo, while the passenger cars produced from 1948 onwards were offered under the name Taunus referring to the re-produced pre-war model
Ford Taunus G93A The Ford Taunus G93A is a small family car that was produced by Ford Germany between 1939 and 1942 in succession to the Ford Eifel. It was the first car developed at Cologne by Ford Germany which previously had built cars originated by Ford b ...
. Due to continental European habits, the original series and model designations "FK" and Taunus mutated into real brands, each with its own emblem and different models, comparable with
Daimler Benz The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacture ...
Mercedes models or
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
Opel Opel Automobile GmbH (), usually shortened to Opel, is a German automobile manufacturer which has been a subsidiary of Stellantis since 16 January 2021. It was owned by the American automaker General Motors from 1929 until 2017 and the PSA Grou ...
models. The FK emblem consists of two slightly overlapping ovals with the "F" from the well-known Ford emblem in the first and a "K" in the same font in the second oval. The Taunus emblem first depicted the
Cologne Cathedral Cologne Cathedral (german: Kölner Dom, officially ', English: Cathedral Church of Saint Peter) is a Catholic cathedral in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Cologne and of the administration of the Archdiocese ...
; from 1953 on until its discontinuation in 1967, Cologne's city flag inspired the Taunus emblem. In 1961, Ford discontinued the entire truck production in Germany and took the FK brand off the market due to serious defects and therefore strongly decreasing demand. The van FK1000/FK1250, not affected by these defects due to its completely different construction-design, continued to sell well and was now offered under the successful Taunus brand with the model name Transit in addition to the cars Taunus 12M/15M and the Taunus 17M. A comparable program to Volkswagen, that offered its vehicles VW Beetle, VW 1500 and VW Bus the same way on the continental European market. The "new" Transit Taunus van was now labelled with the Transit model name (instead of the FK logo) in big chrome letters and a big "Taunus" emblem as well as a small Taunus lettering which was also mounted on the back of the vehicle. New, however, was a small Ford logo underneath the right B-column. From 1957 onwards, with the launch of the Ford Thames 400E by Ford of Britain, the situation arose that Ford, together with the FK1000/FK1250 by Ford Werke AG, was now present on the continental European markets with two competing products. For example, the British Ford Thames 400E was also assembled and improved as a left-hand drive version in the Ford assembly plants in
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan a ...
, Denmark, as well as the German FK1000 was assembled in
Azambuja Azambuja () is a municipality in the Portuguese district of Lisbon, in the historical region of Ribatejo (and the sole municipality of within the district that does not belong to the historical province of Estremadura). The population in 2011 wa ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...
, too. In the French, Spanish, Italian, Swiss,
Benelux The Benelux Union ( nl, Benelux Unie; french: Union Benelux; lb, Benelux-Unioun), also known as simply Benelux, is a politico- economic union and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighboring states in western Europe ...
and Scandinavian markets, both products were found. This turned out to be disadvantageous and cost-intensive especially after the fall of various trade barriers within the newly founded
EEC The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lis ...
. For this reason, such a situation with internal competition and parallel developments was very unsatisfactory for the Ford headquarters in Detroit. The aim was to not only standardize the vehicle production ( world car), but also merge the company structures in Europe. Under parent's dictate, Ford of Britain and Ford-Werke AG started the "Redcap-Project" in the commercial vehicle sector in 1963, from which the Ford Transit was launched in 1965, based on a new unified platform. Two years later in 1967, Ford of Britain and Ford-Werke AG merged to
Ford of Europe Ford of Europe GmbH is a subsidiary company of Ford Motor Company founded in 1967 in Cork, Ireland, with headquarters in Cologne, Germany. History Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 by the merger of Ford of Britain, Ford Germany, and Irish H ...
with the headquarters in
Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
, Germany. The brand Taunus was taken off the market. Ford forced the standardization of platforms and even model-names overall European market under the Ford brand and logo. After the Ford Transit in 1965, a second unified platform ( Ford Escort) was launched in 1967. With the discontinuation of the Ford Zephyr (British) and Ford P7 (German) 1972 all Ford platforms for the European market are unified. Since 1994 (discontinuation of the Ford Granada name) even the Ford model-names are the same for the European market.


Naming system

The German vehicle was not widely exported, and the "Mark 1" tag has commonly been applied, retrospectively, to the 1965 to 1978 British model (see below). Whilst there have only been four basic platforms since 1965, the various facelifts and upgrades over the years have been referred to using a conflicting range of "Mark" numbers, with some sources counting a facelift as a new "Mark", some not. Ford's own historical look back at Transit production, published for the launch of the 1994 model, avoids the issue by referring to generations of Transit by years produced. This article attempts to make mention of all the common naming systems.


First generation (1965)

The first generation Transit, or the Transit Mark I in the United Kingdom, was introduced in October 1965, taking over directly from the Thames 400E. This generation had the longest production run of any Transit to date, staying largely unaltered for 12 years until the major facelift of 1978, with overall production lasting for over 20 years before finally being replaced by the all-new VE6 platform in 1986. The van was produced initially at Ford's Langley facility in Berkshire, England (a former Second World War aircraft factory which had produced
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness b ...
fighters), but demand outstripped the capability of the plant, and production was moved to
Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...
until closure in 2013 in favour of the factory at
İzmit İzmit () is a district and the central district of Kocaeli province, Turkey. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. As of the last 31/12/2019 estimation, the ...
, Turkey. Transits were also produced in Ford's Genk factory in Belgium and also Turkey. Transits were produced in Amsterdam for the local market from the mid-1970s until the end of 1981. This factory had ample capacity, since the Ford Transcontinental produced there had little success (total production 8000 in 6 years). Although the Transit sold well in the Netherlands, it was not enough to save the factory, which closed in December 1981. The Transit was introduced to replace the Ford Thames 400E, a small mid-engined forward control van noted for its narrow track which was in competition with similar-looking but larger vehicles from the
BMC J4 The Morris Commercial J4 was a 10 cwt (0.5 ton) forward-control van (driver's controls in front of front wheels) launched by Morris Commercial in 1960 and produced with two facelifts until 1974. The van was marketed first as both the Morris J4 ...
and J2 vans and
Rootes Group The Rootes Group or Rootes Motors Limited was a British automobile manufacturer and, separately, a major motor distributors and dealers business. Run from London's West End, the manufacturer was based in the Midlands and the distribution and de ...
's Commer PB ranges. In a UK market segment then dominated by the Bedford CA, Ford's Thames competitor, because of its restricted load area, failed to attract fleet users in sufficient numbers. Ford switched to a front-engined configuration, as did Bedford with their well-regarded CA series vans in the 1950s.
Henry Ford II Henry Ford II (September 4, 1917 – September 29, 1987), sometimes known as "Hank the Deuce", was an American businessman in the automotive industry. He was the oldest son of Edsel Ford I and oldest grandson of Henry Ford I. He was president ...
's revolutionary step was to combine the engineering efforts of
Ford of Britain Ford of Britain (officially Ford Motor Company Limited)The Ford 'companies' or corporate entities referred to in this article are: * Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Michigan, USA, incorporated 16 June 1903 * Ford Motor Company Limited, incorporat ...
and Ford of Germany to create a prototype for the Ford of Europe of today—previously the two subsidiaries had avoided competing in one another's domestic markets but had been direct competitors in other European markets. The Transit was a departure from the European commercial vehicles of the day with its American-inspired styling—its broad track gave it a huge advantage in carrying capacity over comparable vehicles of the day. Most of the Transit's mechanical components were adapted from Ford's car range of the time. Another key to the Transit's success was the sheer number of different body styles: panel vans in long and short wheelbase forms, pick-up truck, minibuses, crew-cabs to name but a few. The engines used in the UK were the Essex V4 for the
petrol Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic c ...
-engined version in 1.7 L and 2.0 L capacities. By using relatively short V-4 engines Ford were able to minimise the additional length necessitated to place the engine ahead of the driver. Another popular development under the bonnet was the equipping of the van with an alternator at time when the UK market competitors expected buyers to be content with a dynamo. A
diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-cal ...
sourced from Perkins was also offered. As this engine was too long to fit under the Transit's stubby nose, the diesel version featured a longer bonnet - which became nicknamed as the "pig snout". The underpowered Perkins proved unpopular, and was replaced by Ford's own
York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
unit in 1972. For mainland Europe the Transit had the German Ford Taunus V4 engine in Cologne 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7- or Essex 2.0-litre versions. The diesel version's long nose front was also used to accommodate the Ford 3.0 L Ford Essex V6 engine (UK) for high performance applications such as vans supplied to police and ambulance services. In Australia, in 1973, to supplement the two Essex V4 engines that were available the Transit was released with the long-nose diesel front used to accommodate an inline 6-cylinder engine derived from the
Ford Falcon Ford Falcon is an automobile nameplate applied to several vehicles worldwide. * Ford Falcon (North America), an automobile produced by Ford from 1960 to 1970. * Ford Falcon (Argentina), a car built by Ford Argentina from 1962 until 1991. * For ...
. The
Metropolitan Police The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), formerly and still commonly known as the Metropolitan Police (and informally as the Met Police, the Met, Scotland Yard, or the Yard), is the territorial police force responsible for law enforcement and ...
reported on this vehicle in 1972 via a
Scotland Yard Scotland Yard (officially New Scotland Yard) is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police, the territorial police force responsible for policing Greater London's 32 boroughs, but not the City of London, the square mile that forms London's ...
spokesman that "Ford Transits are used in 95 per cent of bank raids. With the performance of a car, and space for 1.75 tonnes of loot, the Transit is proving to be the perfect getaway vehicle", describing it as "Britain's most wanted van". The adoption of a front beam axle in place of a system incorporating independent front suspension that had featured on its UK predecessor might have been seen as a backward step by some, but on the road commentators felt that the Transit's wider track and longer wheelbase more than compensated for the apparent step backwards represented by Ford's suspension choices. Drivers appreciated the elimination of the excessive noise, smell and cabin heat that resulted from placing the driver above or adjacent to the engine compartment in the Thames 400E and other forward control light vans of the 1950s and early 1960s. The Transit was also assembled in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
between 1967 and 1974, the last Transit to be sold in that country until 2013, when a fully imported model was introduced.Ford Transit: Long wait worth it
Wheels24, 25 April 2013


Facelift (1977)

In August 1977, a facelifted version—codenamed within Ford as the "Transit "—but usually referred to as the Transit Mark II, debuted with a restyled, longer nose section which could now properly accommodate an in-line engine in place of the Essex and Cologne V4s - therefore the
Pinto Pinto is a Portuguese, Spanish, Jewish (Sephardic), and Italian surname. It is a high-frequency surname in all Portuguese-speaking countries and is also widely present in Spanish-speaking countries, Italy, India especially in Mangalore, Karnatak ...
engine from the
Cortina Cortina may refer to: Things * Cortina (tango), a short piece of music played during a tango dance event * Ford Cortina, a medium-sized family car built by Ford of Britain from 1962 to 1982 **Lotus Cortina, a 1963–1968 performance variant on the ...
became the Transit's dominant power unit. Many fleet owners experienced premature camshaft wear in early Pinto units in the Cortina and for two years the Transit 75 was available with the 1.6 L Ford Kent cross-flow engine. High-performance versions intended for police or ambulance service used the 3.0 L V6 version of the Essex engine, Australian variants had 4.1 L (250 cu in) inline 6-cylinder engines, from September 1978. The 3.0 was also available in some heavier duty models. The new frontal styling brought the Transit back into line with the rest of Ford of Europe's passenger car range of the period with square headlamps and the black louvred grille, although the rear styling remained unaltered. The rather spartan metal dashboard of the Mk1 with its single instrument binnacle was replaced with a full width plastic fascia with a more comprehensive instrument cluster and switchgear taken from the Taunus/Cortina Mk.4. In 1984, the York diesel engine was redesigned into the 2.5 L "DI" (direct injection) unit. At this time this generation received a minor facelift including a grey plastic front grille with integrated headlamp surrounds, wraparound indicators, longer bumper end caps and multifunction rear lights incorporating fog, indicator, reversing and side lights for the panel van. This facelift did not commonly result in a new "Mark" number. The Mark II was available in 6 body styles: Van, Kombi, Chassis Cab, Parcel Van, Bus and Crewbus all available in short-wheelbase (2690 mm) and long-wheelbase (3000 mm) versions. A selection of 5 engines was available: 1.6-litre OHC Petrol, 1.6-litre OHV Petrol (Kent), 2.0-litre OHC Petrol, 2.0-litre OHC Petrol (Economy) and 2.4-litre Diesel. On top of this were 32 door combinations, 6 axle ratios and options for 12 – 17 interior seats. All of these were available in any combination when purchased with Ford's highly customizable custom plan. At the time this gave the business sector an unprecedented amount of flexibility, which was a major factor in the vehicles' ultimate success. In 1981, for mainland European market only, the Transit Clubmobil was introduced by the Hymer company. This was fitted with a 1.6 / 2.0 OHC engine, and featured a custom interior – captain style swivel seats in velour, pile carpet, motorsport steering wheel, unique Ronal 14" alloy wheels, unique side windows, folding back seat, luggage box, unique front spoiler, tinted glass, power assisted steering, spare wheel carrier and rear door ladder. In 3 years of production 150 were produced and less than 20 are thought to still exist. In late 1982 the well-equipped Transit Ghia was introduced to some markets, only as a nine-seater bus. This offered a velour interior, full carpeting, tinted windows, and sunroof. Externally it can be identified by chrome dog-dish hubcaps and extra lamps in the grille. In 1982 a four-wheel drive version was added to the German market, called the SIRA-Ford Transit. This was developed together with Rau GmbH, a Ford dealer in
Stuttgart Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the Sw ...
. "SIRA" combines " Sinpar" and "Rau" because Rau was the agent for French four-wheel-drive specialist Sinpar in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The SIRA Transit used a Sinpar transfer case and other parts, and was available with the 2-liter petrol four or the 2.4-liter Diesel, on either wheelbase. ''Inufa 1982'', pp. 262-265 The 4x4 Transit was later offered in other markets as well.


Second generation (1986)


Pre-facelift (1986)

Codenamed ''VE6'', the second generation Transit platform appeared in January 1986 and was notable for its all-new bodyshell which was of "one-box" design (''i.e.'' the windscreen and bonnet are at close to the same angle), and the front suspension was changed to a fully independent configuration on SWB versions. Initially fitted with Chubb AVA locks, Tibbe barrels were fitted soon after. The engine range was carried over largely unchanged from the last of the 1978–1985 Mk.1 facelift model, although in 1989 the high-performance 3.0 Essex V6 petrol was replaced by the Cologne 2.9 EFI V6, mainly because of emissions regulations as the Essex V6 design was nearly 25 years old by then and still used a carburettor. The third generation Transit was developed under the "Triton" code name. A subtle facelift in 1992 saw the fully independent front suspension adopted across the range, whilst a redesigned floor plan allowed the use of single, rather than paired, rear wheels on the LWB derivative, further increasing payload—these models are identifiable by the slightly more rounded front headlamps. In Australia, the third generation Transit did not go on sale until March 1994, after a 13-year absence from that market.


Facelift (1994)

A major facelift to the Transit in 1994 gave the Transit a new nose and dashboard, along with the 2.0 L DOHC 8-valve engine as found in the 1994 to 1998 Ford Scorpio. It is similar to the earlier Sierra DOHC unit but without the distributor and uses the updated OBD II-compliant EEC-V level
engine control unit An engine control unit (ECU), also commonly called an engine control module (ECM), is a type of electronic control unit that controls a series of actuators on an internal combustion engine to ensure optimal engine performance. It does this by ...
. Some of Ford's 16-valve engines, such as those found in the Scorpio, Escort RS2000 and
Galaxy A galaxy is a system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar gas, dust, dark matter, bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Greek ' (), literally 'milky', a reference to the Milky Way galaxy that contains the Solar System ...
were also based on this block. At the same time
air conditioning Air conditioning, often abbreviated as A/C or AC, is the process of removing heat from an enclosed space to achieve a more comfortable interior environment (sometimes referred to as 'comfort cooling') and in some cases also strictly controlling ...
, electric windows, central locking, electric mirrors and airbags were all made available as optional extras. In 1994, a campervan conversion produced by
Auto-Sleepers Auto-Sleepers (also spelt as ''Auto-sleeper'')England, English manufacturer of campervan motorhomes, based in Willersey a small village near Broadway, Worcestershire, Broadway, Worcestershire. History In 1961, the Trevelyan family and their tw ...
converted in
Willersey Willersey is a village in Gloucestershire, South West England, situated close to the boundary with Worcestershire, West Midlands region and southwest of Evesham. Although situated in Gloucestershire, the postal county for the village is Worce ...
,
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of ...
, known as the Auto-Sleepers Duetto was available. It was available with the high-top roof. The turbo diesel version came in , and version with an electronic fuel pump. For the 30th anniversary of the Transit in 1995 Ford released a limited edition model called the Transit Hallmark. Six hundred were made and were available in three colours with 200 being made in each. In Europe the VE83 Transit was available up to 2000, but in Vietnam it was built up to 2003 when it was exchanged in June for the new generation.


Chinese production

Introduced in 2006, the Ford Transit VJX6541DK-M is a license-built version of the Transit assembled by Jiangling Motors (JMC) in Nanchang. Produced solely for the Chinese domestic market, it was derived from the second-generation VE6/VE83/VE94 platform. Over its Ford predecessor produced from 1986 to 2000, JMC made 70 major updates to the design. The exterior was distinguished by revision to the front fascia, including larger front headlamps and a redesigned grille and front bumper. The interior saw several ergonomic improvements, along with the standardization of power windows. ABS was offered as an option. The top speed is specified at . Sharing its underpinnings with the second-generation Transit, the JMC-built Transit differed substantially in its powertrain configuration. In place of Ford produced engines, the model line used a 92 kW Mitsubishi-produced 2.4L inline-4. Two Isuzu-produced 2.8L inline-4 diesels were offered; a naturally aspirated version offering 67.6 kW-68 kW and a turbocharged, intercooled version, offering 80–85 kW. In 2008, Ford commenced sales of the V347/V348 Transit in China alongside its JMC-produced counterpart, branded the Ford-produced van as the ''New Transit'' and the JMC van as the ''Transit Classic''. Between the two manufacturers, a combined 210,000 examples of both generations were sold in China; in 2012, Ford expanded operations, allowing production capacity to expand to 300,000 vehicles. In January 2010, the Toyota recalls affected the Transit Classic, as Ford/JMC utilized the same supplier of accelerator pedals ( CTS Corporation), suspecting the units were defective and posed a risk of unintended acceleration. Approximately 1600 Ford Transit Classics in China were affected by the recall. File:SZ Tour Street 90412 救護車 Ambulance.JPG, Ford/JMC Transit Classic ambulance in Shenzhen File:Black PSP China Ford Transit Front.jpg, Ford-JMC Transit Classic police van (Guangzhou Public Security Police) File:Black PSP China Ford Transit Rear.jpg, Ford-JMC Transit Classic police van, rear view File:Ford Transit Police Van.jpg, Ford-JMC Transit Classic police van (Chengdu Public Security Police)


JMC Teshun

Starting from May 2017, Jiangling Motors replaced the license-built Ford Transit with the JMC Teshun range of vans. While sharing much of its body with its predecessor, the Teshun underwent a redesign of the front fascia with a larger front bumper and grille. The interior underwent an update to the dashboard, along with the introduction of a front bench seating configuration. Retaining the VE83 platform of the second-generation Transit, the gasoline Teshun is offered with a Mitsubishi-produced 136 hp(200N·m) 2.4L inline-4 (Engine code: 4G69S4N) and the diesel Teshun offered with an Jiangling-produced 116 hp(285N·m) 2.8L Turbo-diesel inline-4 (Engine code: JX493ZLQ, essentialy a modified version of the Isuzu 4JB1 engine); both engines are paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. File:JMC Teshun 001.jpg, JMC Teshun Turbo GL File:JMC Teshun 002.jpg, JMC Teshun Turbo GL, rear File:JMC Teshun 004.jpg, JMC Teshun


Facelift (2021)

In August 2021, a facelift of Teshun was unveiled, updates include a redesign of the front fascia, grille, headlamps, and front bumper. The rear of the car has not changed. In terms of power, the 2.4-liter gasoline engine was removed. The original 2.8L turbo-diesel inline-4 engine has been upgraded to increase the output to 122hp (300N·m). File:JMC Teshun Kongjianwang IMG002.jpg, JMC Teshun Front (After facelift)


Third generation (2000)


Pre-facelift (2000)

The Transit, introduced in July 2000, was the third all-new design, and borrowed styling cues from Ford's "New Edge" designs, like the Focus and Ka. Developed by Ford in the United States, the main innovation is that it is available in either front- or rear-wheel drive. Ford nomenclature makes this the V184 ( rear-wheel-drive) or V185 ( front-wheel-drive) model. This model features the "Puma"-type Duratorq turbo diesel engine also used in the 2000 Mondeo and Jaguar X-Type, with the petrol versions moving up to the 2.3 L 16-Valve edition of the
straight-4 A straight-four engine (also called an inline-four) is a four-cylinder piston engine where cylinders are arranged in a line along a common crankshaft. The vast majority of automotive four-cylinder engines use a straight-four layout (with the ...
engine. A demonstration of this model's speed with the smallest panel van body, highest output 136PS 2.4 Duratorq turbo-diesel engine and optional 6-speed manual gearbox was shown in
series 6 Series 6 or Season 6 may refer to: *Series 6 exam, officially the Investment Company Products or Variable Life Contracts Representative exam * Apple Watch Series 6, a smartwatch produced by Apple *BMW 6 Series *GeForce 6 series, line of video cards ...
of '' Top Gear'' in 2005, where German race driver Sabine Schmitz attempted to drive it around the
Nürburgring The is a 150,000 person capacity motorsports complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features a Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a long "North loop" track, built in the 1920s, around the village a ...
in under ten minutes, matching Jeremy Clarkson's time in a turbodiesel Jaguar S-Type; after weight reduction and aerodynamic modifications, she was only just unsuccessful, marking her fastest lap at 10m 8s. This version won the
International Van of the Year The International Van of the Year is an annual award made by the international transport sector. Each year, an expert jury consisting of leading, authoritative specialist journalists selects the International Van of the Year from the new vehicles ap ...
2001. The
Durashift Durashift is the brand name of a range of Ford automatic and recently manual transmissions. Durashift EST Durashift EST ''(Electronic Shift Transmission)'' features electronic control with manual selection of gears. It is an automated manual t ...
EST
automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving ...
(optional on all rear-wheel-drive models) features controls mounted on the dashboard, a specially adapted manual mode, tow-haul mode, economy mode and winter mode. This is known as the ASM (automatically shifting manual) system in the Australian market. 2002 saw the introduction of the first High Pressure Common Rail diesel engine in the Transit, with the launch of the HPCR 2.0-litre in the FWD. Production of the van started at the new Ford-Otosan plant in Kocaeli, Turkey which saw the end of all production at the Genk, Belgium plant which had been producing Transits since 1965. This coincided with the introduction of the Transit Connect (also produced in Kocaeli), a smaller panel van based on the C170 (Focus) platform and aimed at replacing the older Escort and Fiesta based models. Despite the name, the Connect has no engineering commonality with the full-size Transit. 2003 saw a new instrument cluster with a digital odometer. 2004 saw the launch of the first RWD HPCR, the 2.4-litre variant that also introduced the 6-speed MT-82 RWD manual gearbox. The five millionth Transit rolled off the Southampton line on Monday, 18 July 2005 and was donated to an English charity.


Facelift (2006)

The third-generation Transit received a facelift to the body, introduced in July 2006, including new front and rear lights, a new front end and a new interior featuring the
gearstick A gear stick (rarely spelled ''gearstick''), gear lever (both UK English), gearshift or shifter (both U.S. English), more formally known as a transmission lever, is a metal lever attached to the transmission of an automobile. The term ''gear sti ...
on the dashboard and Ford's new corporate radio design. Besides the styling changes, the powertrains were revised. The old petrol engine was replaced with one from the Ford Ranger, the front-wheel-drive diesel went from 2.0 to 2.2 litres capacity, and all diesel engines gained high-pressure common rail (
TDCi Common rail direct fuel injection is a direct fuel injection system built around a high- pressure (over ) fuel rail feeding solenoid valves, as opposed to a low-pressure fuel pump feeding unit injectors (or pump nozzles). High-pressure inject ...
) systems. The powertrains were changed to meet new emissions legislation. Additionally, the facelift introduced
CAN bus A Controller Area Network (CAN bus) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other's applications without a host computer. It is a message-based protocol, designed originally for m ...
electronics to the Transit for the first time. The new version (Ford nomenclature V347 for front-wheel drive and V348 for rear-wheel drive) won
International Van of the Year The International Van of the Year is an annual award made by the international transport sector. Each year, an expert jury consisting of leading, authoritative specialist journalists selects the International Van of the Year from the new vehicles ap ...
for 2007 despite tough competition from several all-new rivals. This Transit arrived in Mexico to replace the Freestar after the 2007 model year. This was the first Transit with a five-cylinder engine available (in the 3.2L 200PS version). Mid-2006 saw the launch of the "Sport Van", a production van featuring the engine with additional styling parts, "Le Mans" stripes and 18-inch alloy wheels. Late-2007 saw the launch of the engine for front-wheel-drives (replacing the 130 PS) complete with the VMT6 6-speed
manual Manual may refer to: Instructions * User guide * Owner's manual An owner's manual (also called an instruction manual or a user guide) is an instructional book or booklet that is supplied with almost all technologically advanced consumer ...
transaxle to cope with the extra power. The 6-speed transaxle was introduced on the mid-power FWD in late 2008 when the engine was upped to . In late 2008, the "coated Diesel Particulate Filter" (cDPF)—designed to meet higher emission standards than the current Euro IV requirement—was introduced as an option on all diesel engines. Production ended in 2013, with the Southampton plant closing down making this generation the last of the British built Transits, but returned in China in two modified forms. Engines * 2.2 L Diesel, ; 2006–2014 * 2.2 L Diesel, ; 2006–2008 * 2.2 L Diesel, ; 2008–2014 * 2.2 L Diesel, ; 2006–2007 * 2.2 L Diesel, ; 2007–2014 * 2.4 L Diesel, ; 2006–2014 * 2.4 L Diesel, ; 2006–2014 * 2.4 L Diesel, ; 2006–2014 * 3.2 L Diesel, ; 2007–2014 * 2.3 L Petrol, ; 2006–2014


XXL

To celebrate the Transit's status as International Van of the Year 2007, Ford built a
stretch limousine A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment. A very long wheelbase luxury sedan (with more than four doors) driven by a prof ...
style van – the Transit XXL. It is a unique special that is the most expensive Transit ever made.


SuperSportVan

The Ford Transit SuperSportVan was a one-off, high-performance version of the third-gen Transit built by Ford Europe. It uses a 3.2L turbocharged Duratorq I5, producing 198 horsepower, borrowed from a larger Transit model, mated to a 6-speed transmission.


Chinese market

The third-generation Ford Transit commenced production in China in 2008 for the 2009 model year. Engine choices consisted the 2.2-litre turbo diesel, a 2.3-litre petrol for 2009 models and a 2.4-litre turbo diesel. The Transit in China was given a facelift for the 2013 model year onwards with new headlights and taillights. As of 2019, the 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine and 6 speed manual gearbox is standard across the range. File:2016 JMC-Ford Transit (facelift) LWB, front 8.16.18.jpg, 2013 facelift File:2015 JMC-Ford Transit (facelift), rear 8.16.18.jpg, 2013 facelift (rear)


2021 Ford Transit Pro

During the 2020 Beijing Auto Show, a facelift named the Ford Transit Pro was unveiled featuring another facelift on the third-generation Ford Transit for the 2021 model year. The facelift features a redesigned front end and restyled tail lamps. The facelift also features updated powertrain to fulfill the National Standard VI emissions standard in China. The updated engine is a 2.2 liter diesel engine producing 190 hp and 360N·m mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. This design is also made and sold in Vietnam as the Ford Transit as of 2022. It is powered by a 2.2 liter turbodiesel engine producing 136 hp mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. File:Ford Transit Pro 003.jpg, 2021 Ford Transit Pro File:Ford Transit Pro 002.jpg, 2021 Ford Transit Pro (rear)


2022 JMC Fushun

In mid-2022, Jiangling Motors released the JMC Fushun based on the Transit Pro. According to the official data, the model will be equipped with a 2.0L inline-4 turbo-diesel engine (engine code: JX4D20A6H, an engine modified by the Ford ZSD-420 engine) output of 146hp (355N· m). Paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. File:JMC Fushun 002.jpg, JMC Fushun File:JMC Fushun 003.jpg, JMC Fushun (rear)


Fourth generation (2014)

The fourth-generation Transit was launched in January 2013 at the 2013 North American (Detroit) International Auto Show. In contrast to the previous generation developed in the United States (but never sold there), the fourth-generation Transit was co-designed by
Ford of Europe Ford of Europe GmbH is a subsidiary company of Ford Motor Company founded in 1967 in Cork, Ireland, with headquarters in Cologne, Germany. History Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 by the merger of Ford of Britain, Ford Germany, and Irish H ...
and Ford in North America. After entering production for worldwide sale in 2013, the Transit entered sale in North America in 2014 as an early 2015 model. The fourth-generation Transit was the first version to be offered for sale in the United States and Canada, replacing the E-Series passenger cargo and passenger van (the E-Series remains in production as a cutaway/chassis cab). While produced since 1965 (nearly as long as the Mustang), previous generations of the Transit were excluded from North America to avoid model overlap with the Econoline/E-Series. The introduction of the fourth generation saw a transition of the Transit nameplate into a commercially-oriented sub-brand of Ford. To supplement its namesake vehicle and the Transit Connect MPV, Ford spun off the previous front-wheel drive Transit into its own model line, the Transit Custom (sized between the Transit Connect and Transit), with the Fiesta-based Transit Courier introduced in 2014 as the smallest model of the product range. The namesake of the model line, the fourth-generation Transit is marketed against the Chevrolet Express/GMC Savana,
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle (van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dod ...
,
Fiat Ducato The Fiat Ducato is a light commercial vehicle jointly developed by FCA Italy and PSA Group (currently Stellantis), and mainly manufactured by Sevel, a joint venture between the two companies since 1981. It has also been sold as the Citroën C25, ...
(and its variants), and the Volkswagen Crafter in markets worldwide.


Chassis

The fourth-generation Transit is offered in a rear-wheel drive powertrain layout; the front-wheel drive version of the previous generation has been replaced by the Transit Custom. The Transit van is offered in two wheelbases (129.9 inches and 147.6 inches) while the chassis cab/cutaway van is offered in three wheelbases (138 inches, 155.7, and 178 inches). As with previous-generation vans, extended-wheelbase vans were produced with either single or dual rear-wheel axles (the latter, a first for North America, which previously reserved the design for chassis/cutaway cabs). In a major change from the E-Series, the Transit uses a unibody chassis design instead of a separate frame; while no longer using a separate chassis, the high use of boron steel allowed for increase in payload capacity of up to 600 pounds (over a similar-configuration E-Series). The long-running Twin I-Beams of the E-Series were retired, as the fourth-generation Transit uses MacPherson struts for the front suspension; the live rear axle is leaf-sprung. The model line is fitted with four-wheel disc brakes.


Powertrain

For its worldwide introduction in 2013, the fourth-generation Transit inherited the Duratorq diesel engines from the previous generation, shared with the Ranger and Mondeo. A 2.0L inline-4 was introduced (for China), shared with the 2.2L and 2.4L inline-4s (the former, for Europe and Australia; the latter, Europe); the largest engine was a 3.2L inline-5 (for markets outside South America). Gasoline engines were also offered, including a 2.0L Ecoboost inline-4 (for China) and a 2.3L Duratec inline-4. For production in the Americas, the Transit was offered with higher-displacement gasoline engines (shared with the F-Series). A 275 hp 3.7L V6 was the standard engine in North America, with a 310 hp 3.5L twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 offered in both North and South America; the 185 hp 3.2L inline-5 was offered beginning in 2015 (renamed as a Powerstroke diesel). From 2015 to 2019, all engines were paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission, replaced by a 10-speed automatic for 2020. As an option through Ford, the 3.7L engine can be converted to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied petroleum gas (propane).


Body configuration

In a design shift, the Transit (and Transit Custom) moved from the New Edge styling of the previous generation to the ''
Kinetic Kinetic (Ancient Greek: κίνησις “kinesis”, movement or to move) may refer to: * Kinetic theory, describing a gas as particles in random motion * Kinetic energy, the energy of an object that it possesses due to its motion Art and ent ...
'' design language; the interior was influenced by the third-generation Ford Focus. The fourth-generation Transit as both a van and as a chassis cab/cutaway cab; the pickup truck of the previous generation has been discontinued. The van is offered in three different roof lengths and three different roof heights. In most worldwide markets, the Transit passenger van is primarily marketed under the Ford Tourneo name, with Ford using the Transit name for both cargo and passenger vans in the United States and Canada. In line with other Ford trucks in North America, the Transit is marketed in XL and XLT trims. In line with the F-Series trucks (and its E-Series predecessor), in North America, the Transit is marketed in 150/250/350 (and 350HD) payload series, determined by wheelbase, body length, and roof height. As with the E-Series and the previous generation Transit, the model line serves as the basis for multiple commercial vehicles, including ambulances, buses, and recreational vehicles. File:2014 Ford Transit (VO) 350E van (2015-06-03) 01.jpg, 2014 Ford Transit 350E cargo van (Australia) File:2014 Ford Transit (VO) 350E van (2015-06-03) 02.jpg, 2014 Ford Transit 350E cargo van (Australia), rear view File:Church St WTC 20.jpg, 2015-2018 Transit mid-roof cargo van (in front of Ford E-350). File:Ride On Flex Bus 1006D.jpg, Ford Transit 350 HD urban
public transit Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typi ...
minibus File:Ford Transit 350 HD School Bus by Trans Tech 5.17.18.jpg, Ford Transit 350HD with
type-A A type or type A may refer to: * A-type asteroid, a type of relatively uncommon inner-belt asteroids * A type blood, a type in the ABO blood group system * A-type inclusion, a type of cell inclusion * A-type potassium channel, a type of voltage-ga ...
school bus body


2020 update

For 2020 production, the Ford Transit underwent a mid-cycle model revision, distinguished by an update of the front fascia and dashboard. In both Otosan and Claycomo-produced examples, the powertrain saw several updates. For North America, a naturally-aspirated 275 hp 3.5L V6 with port and direct injection replaced the 3.7L V6; the 3.5L twin-turbo V6 remained an option. For markets outside the Americas, the four Duratorq diesel engines were replaced by a single 2.0L EcoBlue inline-4 turbodiesel (shared with the Ranger outside of North America). Offered in multiple power outputs (105, 130, 170, 185 PS), the EcoBlue engine is also offered with a mild-hybrid option (with the 130 PS engine). Initially intended for North American sale (alongside the Transit Connect), the EcoBlue option was dropped shortly before its introduction. All-wheel drive is again an option for the model line. A new trim level marketed as Transit Trail was also made available for the Transit and Transit Custom. It features a Quaife
locking differential A locking differential is a mechanical component, commonly used in vehicles, designed to overcome the chief limitation of a standard open differential by essentially "locking" both wheels on an axle together as if on a common shaft. This forces ...
and design elements of the North-American market Ford F-150 Raptor. A crew van body style was introduced as a new option; known as a double cab in Europe, the design combines the design of a passenger and cargo van, offering 5-passenger seating and a large rear cargo space. The 2020 Transit also adopted power-sliding doors and dual sliding doors (for cargo vans) as options.


E-Transit

In November 2020, Ford announced the 2022 E-Transit battery electric cargo van; key specifications include a / maximum cargo capacity, 68 kWh (usable capacity) battery and up to range, based on the US EPA Multi-Cycle Test (MCT) procedure. The E-Transit began production at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant in November 2021. The first E-Transits were delivered to American customers in February 2022; according to Ford, they had received more than 10,000 orders for the E-Transit from 300 commercial fleets. E-Transit production for the European market began at
Otosan Ford Otomotiv Sanayi A.Ş. (''Ford Automotive Industry'') is an automotive manufacturing company based in Turkey that is equally owned by Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding. It was established in its current form in 1977, with original relations ...
in April 2022 to fill orders totaling more than 5,000 vehicles. The E-Transit has a unique chassis to accommodate the traction battery between the frame rails, but is fitted with the same bodies as the conventional Transit. Under the bonnet, Ford have fitted cooling pumps for the high-voltage traction battery and motor, along with cabin climate control equipment and other electrical gear, including the DC-DC converter. Externally, the E-Transit can be distinguished by its rear axle, which carries the traction motor and has an
independent suspension Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system ...
using
semi-trailing arm A (semi) trailing-arm suspension, sometimes referred to as (semi) trailing-link is a vehicle axle or wheel suspension design in which one or more horizontal arms (or "links"), perpendicular to and forward of the axle, are connecting the axle or w ...
s and coil springs, rather than the
live axle A beam axle, rigid axle or solid axle is a dependent suspension design in which a set of wheels is connected laterally by a single beam or shaft. Beam axles were once commonly used at the rear wheels of a vehicle, but historically they have als ...
and leaf springs of the conventional Transit. The liquid-cooled traction battery is sourced from the Mustang Mach-E; useable capacity is 68 kW-hr with a gross capacity of 77 kW-hr. Maximum charging speeds are 11.3 kW (AC) or 115 kW (DC). The Combined Charging System vehicle inlet is on the front of the car, below the manufacturer's emblem. The traction motor of the E-Transit is shared with the
Ford F-150 Lightning The Ford F-150 Lightning is a battery electric full-size light duty truck unveiled by Ford in May 2021 as part of the fourteenth generation Ford F-Series. Four models have been announced, and all models initially will be dual-motor, four- ...
, with a nominal output of and ; in the UK, it is offered with a choice of two traction motor outputs, ; both produce the same torque as the US model. Operating in Eco mode, power is limited to . The advertised maximum range of (EPA) is accomplished with the low-roof model. Under the WLTP cycle, maximum range is . When equipped with the Pro Power Onboard option, the E-Transit can supply up to 2.4 kW of electrical power for tools and accessories through conventional AC outlets. There are 25 combinations of height (2 choices), wheelbase (3), and gross vehicle weight rating (3) in the UK. In the United States, purchasers are given a choice of three body lengths (Regular, Long, or Extended), two wheelbases (), three roof heights (Low, Medium, or High), and three chassis preparations (cargo van, cutaway, or chassis cab; the latter two are offered with a wheelbase only); all US versions are sold as a single T-350 model with a GVWR of . ''
What Car? ''What Car?'' is a British monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Huntingford and published by Haymarket Consumer Media. Other team members include deputy editor Darren Moss and test editors Will Nightingale, Neil ...
'' named the E-Transit its Van of the Year in 2022.


Transit Trail

The Ford Transit Trail is an upcoming off-road motorhome version of the van and comes with a twin-turbo V6 engine and all-wheel drive.


Transit Custom

Replacing the previous front-wheel drive Transit/Tourneo, the Ford Transit Custom is a mid-size cargo and passenger van. Competing against the Mercedes-Benz Vito/Viano,
Peugeot Expert Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and then ...
,
Renault Trafic The Renault Trafic (pronounced as "traffic") is a light commercial van produced by the French automaker Renault since 1980. It is also marketed as the Fiat Talento, the Nissan NV300, the Nissan Primastar, the Mitsubishi Express and, until the ...
and
Volkswagen Transporter The Volkswagen Transporter, based on the Volkswagen Group's T platform, now in its seventh generation, refers to a series of vans produced for over 70 years and marketed worldwide. The T series is now considered an official Volkswagen Group aut ...
, the Custom is offered in two body lengths and two roof heights. Offered in most worldwide markets, the Transit Custom is not currently sold in the United States and Canada; it is sold in Mexico (where the predecessor front-wheel drive Transit replaced the Freestar minivan). For 2018 production, the model line received an exterior update, distinguished by a new grille (in line with the larger Transit); the interior received a new dashboard (styled in line with the Fiesta).


Assembly

Worldwide production of the fourth-generation Transit is sourced from two Ford facilities. All Transit production for Europe and Asia is sourced from
Ford Otosan Ford Otomotiv Sanayi A.Ş. (''Ford Automotive Industry'') is an automotive manufacturing company based in Turkey that is equally owned by Ford Motor Company and Koç Holding. It was established in its current form in 1977, with original relatio ...
in Kocaeli Province, Turkey; this factory provides a percentage of global exports. North American and South American production is primarily sourced from Kansas City Assembly in Claycomo, Missouri; production at the Kansas City Assembly Plant began on 30 April 2014. In North America, the model line was launched as a 2015 model, adopting the Transit name for both cargo and passenger vans (rather than using the Tourneo name used in other markets for passenger vans).


Sales


Variants


County 4×4

A handful of companies offered four-wheel-drive conversions, such as County Tractors of Knighton in Powys, Wales, UK who converted vans on behalf of Ford as a
Special Vehicle Operations Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) is a term used throughout Ford Motor Company's global operations as a performance group, first used in America as Ford's own "speed shop", with a separate budget from Ford's regular operations. In 1993, the group w ...
factory option. The first Transit County models were based on the Mk2 Transit model, both long and short wheelbase. The conversion used a Dana 44F front axle and a NP208 transfer box, both lifted from the Ford Bronco, coupled to the regular Transit engine, gearbox and rear axle using three custom propshafts. The Transit rear axle was retained, mounted to a rear subframe or 'lift cradle' to give the extra ride height. Other modifications were 16-inch wheel rims, locking front hubs, a heavy-duty steering box and 305 mm diameter front brake discs. With the introduction of the Mk3 Transit in 1986 came the next generation of the County 4×4. This would prove to be a very popular and successful version of the County Transit 4×4, and the last to use the Dana beam axle layout. Later County 4×4 models switched to using an independent front suspension setup which was inherently more complex in design than the earlier beam axle models. Later panel vans also lost the twin-wheel rear axle that had been fitted on earlier LWB versions. Mainly used by utility companies such as National Grid (UK), the
Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in state ...
(UK), and by mountain rescue teams, the Transit County 4×4 proved to be a capable vehicle both on and off-road, with the ability to carry both crew and equipment just about anywhere. Design and supply of drivetrain components for County 4×4 models passed to Countytrac, a division of M.J. Allen Ltd, who are still involved in the development of the latest Mk7 AWD Transit and Connect models.


Tourneo

Introduced as part of the 1995 redesign of the Transit, the Tourneo is a Transit-based 8 or 9-seat minibus, but over the years has become increasingly better trimmed up to the point where it can almost be classified as a large MPV. Featuring back seats and back windows similar to a
minivan Minivan (sometimes called simply as van) is a North American car classification for vehicles designed to transport passengers in the rear seating row(s), with reconfigurable seats in two or three rows. The equivalent classification in Europe is ...
, the Tourneo is also considered an
executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive di ...
transport vehicle and is often supplied with alloy wheels. Since its introduction, the Tourneo has followed the same development cycle as the Transit; both versions receive updates at the same time. A smaller minivan version of the Tourneo was introduced in 2002; branded the Tourneo Connect, it was based on the Transit Connect
mini MPV Mini MPV— an abbreviation for mini multi-purpose vehicle— is a vehicle size class for the smallest size of minivans/MPVs. The mini MPV size class sits below the compact MPV size class and the vehicles are often built on the platforms of B- ...
. The version based on the fourth generation Transit is marketed as the Ford Tourneo Custom, and from 2019 has a
plug-in hybrid A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid electric vehicle whose battery pack can be recharged by plugging a charging cable into an external electric power source, in addition to internally by its on-board internal combustion engin ...
engine option.


Competitors

*
Fiat Ducato The Fiat Ducato is a light commercial vehicle jointly developed by FCA Italy and PSA Group (currently Stellantis), and mainly manufactured by Sevel, a joint venture between the two companies since 1981. It has also been sold as the Citroën C25, ...
, aka Citroën Relay, Opel/Vauxhall Movano, Peugeot Boxer, Ram ProMaster *
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle (van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dod ...
*
Renault Master The Renault Master is a large van produced by the French manufacturer Renault since 1980, now in its third generation. It replaced the earlier Renault Super Goélette light trucks. Opel has sold versions of the second and third series vans as ...
, aka Nissan NV400/Interstar (previously Opel/Vauxhall Movano) * Volkswagen Crafter


References


External links


Official Australia Ford All-new Transit website

UK Ford Transit website

USA Ford Transit website
{{Ford
Transit Transit may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Transit'' (1979 film), a 1979 Israeli film * ''Transit'' (2005 film), a film produced by MTV and Staying-Alive about four people in countries in the world * ''Transit'' (2006 film), a 2006 ...
Transit Transit may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Transit'' (1979 film), a 1979 Israeli film * ''Transit'' (2005 film), a film produced by MTV and Staying-Alive about four people in countries in the world * ''Transit'' (2006 film), a 2006 ...
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