Woohoo Ecoboost and diesel Options for the new transit confirmed!!
- Thread starter dsw4x4
- Start date
For year 1. I am sure they are reading the tea leaves whether they would get enough volume to bring it in-house or leave it to Quigley and others.
NLPRacing
Observer
I thought this looked familiar.
Only RWD for now. Ford could easily add an AWD/4WD option whenever they want if they see a need for it.
BajaSportsmobile
Baja Ironman
You would want a wimpy factory AWD/4WD option? I'd rather do my own and have something substantial.
McZippie
Walmart Adventure Camper
FWIW I'd be happy with a 2 to 3 inch lift, taller tires and a factory rear e-locker.
Unlike the Sprinter dog, hope the diesel has some real world towing power.
schluchtenflitzer
Member
Guys in europe there are allready AWD Transit available. But for me no alternative to a E-Serie (no frame, no rigid axle in front)
see here:
http://www.ford.at/Nutzfahrzeuge/FordTransitAllrad
or this older model
http://fordtransit.org/image/lwb-mk5-county
see here:
http://www.ford.at/Nutzfahrzeuge/FordTransitAllrad
or this older model
http://fordtransit.org/image/lwb-mk5-county
cwsqbm
Explorer
Yes, I have no need for a rock crawler. I want a bad road vehicle, not an off-road vehicle.
dsw4x4
Adventurer
There are two key factors in that article one is it is using the ecoboost and the other is a diesel. The diesel is obvious why thats cool but the ecoboost has it's own hidden agendas. This means it will most likely be using north american components that come in the f series trucks not the transmission that comes in in the euro version. This is one of the big sprinter 4x4 hurdles. So with a little ingenuity it should be possible to use f series components to convert it to 4wd. And yes you can bet quigly will be all over converting this van because they are not going lose out on a market that big as ford eventually fades out the econoline vans. Now if we can find out what diesel they are going to use??
NLPRacing
Observer
The diesel is rumored to be the 3.2-liter straight-five (197 horsepower, 347 pound-feet) , the same one that comes in the "World" Ranger. If so, it should be good for at least 5000 lbs of towing, but hopefully more. Personally, I would like to see at least 9,000 pounds towing (the F150 is rated at over 11,000 pounds w/the EcoBoost V6).
A stock E van can handle that.
cwsqbm
Explorer
I've had been down many a snowy road in a stock 4wd pickup that my 2wd van wouldn't go. Factor in how an unloaded van has most of its weight on the front, and you can see how AWD can be very useful even just on wet roads. Sure, adding weight helps, but that's not always an option (like after you've dropped a load of stuff and are on your way home). Traction control is just a way of making sure you're stuck safely.
I understood "bad road" to be rutted, bumpy, pot holed. An E350 has sufficient clearance is all I meant. If you're not going crawling, you're not likely going bogong either.
As for weight distribution, my 12 passenger gasser is 51/49 empty and actually pretty good in the snow with appropriate tires.
As for weight distribution, my 12 passenger gasser is 51/49 empty and actually pretty good in the snow with appropriate tires.