For the most part, Ford Motor Company has had two full size work vans: one for the U.S. and one for the rest of the world. While Europe has put the Transit through its paces since the 1960s, the North American market has had the F-Series based E-Series van as its workhorse. When the 2013 model year comes around, that divide will change as a new E-Series replacement has been announced and it will be both European inspired and EcoBoosted. All-new and real big will be the next generation Transit which will supplement the already working but smaller Connect. When it hits the market, it will be lighter and more efficient than the beefy E-Series it will replace but utility companies and painters nationwide shouldn’t worry: the Transit will be Built Ford Tough.
“The new Ford Transit commercial van will deliver all the capability and capacity that customers get with today’s E-Series, but with the bonus of improved fuel economy and potentially lower operating costs thanks to its available EcoBoost engine,” said Tim Stoehr, Ford Commercial Truck Marketing manager. The big news so far will be what’s under the new van’s hood. Powering the rear wheels will be the 3.5 liter, DOHC twin turbocharged EcoBoost V6. Pulled from the F-150, the direct injected block puts down well over 400 lb-ft of torque in truck form, so there’s a good chance a hot-rod van will be had. Not only will the Transit be able to spin its tires, it will also manage to achieve at least 25 percent better fuel economy compared to the outgoing E-Series. This achievement will be had both because of the smaller displacement engine’s ability to operate while not in boost and the van’s overall weight savings of 300 lbs.
“This engine has revolutionized the half-ton pickup segment for F-150 and we’re expecting it will have the same effect on commercial vans,” said Stoehr. To get ready for the Transit’s arrival, Ford will be investing $1.1 billion by 2013. The van will be built at the Kansas City Assembly Plant alongside the F-150.
Source: Ford
