FORD Philippines brings back a transporter icon to the Philippines with its launch last week of the Ford Transit.
The transporter was first introduced in the Philippines in 1969 after its1965 launch in Europe. It became a popular van for the Filipino businessman for its size and hauling capacity. The first generation Transit had a double-wheel tire configuration with a low-speed differential gear ratio designed for hauling.
Since then the Ford Transit has set the benchmark for commercial vehicles for its capability, power, and performance. Since the Ford has produced over seven million Transit units across the world and has launched six generations of the vehicle, constantly evolving to keep up with the demands of enterprise customers.
“Given its global success in boosting productivity for businesses, we at Ford are excited to bring the all-new Transit with the continued growth of the light commercial bus and van segment (LCBV) in the Philippines. The all-new Transit offers unique appeal to businesses and relevant sectors and is poised to help drive productivity and business growth,” PK Umashankar, managing director, Ford Philippines said.
This large van competes with the likes of the Hyundai H-350, the Volkswagen Crafter, the JAC Sunray, the Maxus V-series and the Mercedes Benz Sprinter. Although the measurements may not be apples-to-apples, the applications and not the price range put these models into one box.
The all-new Ford Transit is engineered to compliment and support industries such as education, hotels and resorts, travel and tourism, medical, business process outsourcing, corporate, and even retail. Enterprises in these sectors are looking for optimized load space, dynamic exterior design, and enhanced comfort in their commercial vehicles to provide their customers and people resources with mobility support.
It is powered by Ford’s 2.2-litre Duratorq Diesel engine that outputs 135PS of power and 385Nm of torque, and is connected to a conventional six-speed Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) manual transmission. It measures 5,981mm long, 2,474mm wide, and is 2,517mm tall. It has a 15-seating capacity, 21 stowage bins, 12 cup holders and multiple power sockets.
Safety and convenience come from a rearview camera, extra wide doors, rear cargo doors with 180-degree opening capacity, easy clean non-slip rubber flooring, power side step, power folding side mirrors, hill launch assist, and load stabilization. Also, Electronic Stability Program (ESP) is standard while 15 three-point seatbelts with head rests, as well as an escape hatch for emergency situations.
Ford will provide all customers of the all-new Transit this year with a free 5-year scheduled service maintenance plan to further boost growth and productivity of business customers.
It is priced a P2.3 million it comes in three colors.
“Offering work-ready capability and space capacity to meet the shifting demands of businesses, the all-new Ford Transit is set to become a benchmark for the LCBV segment in the country,” Ryan Lorenzo, marketing director, Ford Philippines said.
