Ford has officially shown its new Transit Custom Trail model, which offers a major breakthrough in the company’s commercial vehicle range as an all-wheel-drive model specifically tailored for adventure seekers and business operations facing difficult conditions.
The new Trail version is Ford’s strategic response to growing need in both consumer and industrial markets for versatile commercial vehicles capable of being transformed from workhorses to relaxation getaways instantly.
The middle-tier of Transit Custom cars, the Trail is built to be practical and reliable like all Ford commercial vehicles and imbued with better performance and distinct styling flourishes that set it apart from ordinary models.
At the core of the new Transit Custom Trail is an all-wheel drive system, engineered by Ford to offer outstanding grip in all kinds of road conditions without compromising the van’s everyday drivability or its fuel economy.
The system can apportion torque between front and rear axles as needed to give the best grip in slippery conditions, off-road environments that are just mildly off the beaten track, or unpaved earth filled with potholes and pitfalls.
Designed for Versatility and Adventure
The powertrain for the Transit Custom Trail features Ford’s latest generation of EcoBlue diesel engines, which are available from 130 to 185 horsepower. These engines work with either a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic transmission option and all meet Euro 6.0 requirements.
Advanced driver assist features are tailored for the Trail model to better suit challenging conditions, including High Speed Stability Control, which keeps a constant speed on descents or on steep roads; and an improved Traction Control system with specific modes for the surfaces you drive over.
Compared with standard Transit Custom models, ground clearance has been increased by 20mm, while armor beneath the van protects its vital parts from damage when it bumps uneven terrain.
We can distinguish the Trail from the standard model at a glance, thanks in part to its bold front grille that sports large FORD lettering and the look of Ranger Raptor that makes it a more assertive van on the road.
For the tougher image every Transit Custom Trail should command, black cladding on wheel arches front and back and on the lower sides isn’t just there to catch the eye but also provides practical protection against scratches and stone chips when driving off-road
The Trail model comes standard with unique 17-inch alloy wheels that boast a dark finish and are complemented by all-terrain tires, which means they can provide both on-road comfort as well as off-road performance.
Inside, these changes reflect the vehicle’s double role – providing tough, hard-wearing materials to stand up to heavy use and touring but at the same time offering enough comfort and refinement as to render Transit Custom Trail suitable for longer outings.
The cabin offers upholstery that’s water-resistant and easy to clean, practical rubber floor mats, plus additional storage solutions suited specifically for outdoor pursuits.
Technology also hasn’t been left behind: Ford has prominently featured its latest infotainment system, SYNC 4, on a 12-inch touchscreen that takes up the middle of your dashboard, allowing easy access to navigation and communication as well as entertainment functions.
And the connectivity is wide-ranging, with not just the aforementioned ability to connect your smartphone wirelessly to the vehicle but also a 4G Wi-Fi hotspot that can handle up to ten devices at once and detailed monitoring plus control over your car through FordPass Pro app.
For Work and Play: A Vehicle That Suits Every Lifestyle
The load area maintains the flexibility and capability that have always made the Transit Custom so popular among commercial users, with a payload capacity of up to 1,000kg in the long-wheelbase variant and load volume at a considerable 6.8 cubic meters.
Even thoughtful features like an optional integrated roof rack system, a rear-mounted shower for equipment cleaning and body washing after a day’s skiing or gardening and incremental points spread over the load space mark out its double lives.
Key interior features for the newly available Pull-Out Awning are a high roof that makes for a generous shelter outside and interior dimensions to fit all seasons-specific stock.
Power points in the rear cargo area. An available 12V converter powers even coolers and laptops while on the road; a 230V international version charges power equipment and even iPods. This democratizes the van’s potential for work or recreation use.
Ford intends the Transit Custom Trail as an escape from traditional lifestyle SUVs that come less and less with inspiration vehicles onsite. With similar all-weather capacity and considerably more versatility–as well as a substantially greater load-carrying ability.
It is clear that both the rise of living on the road and creating a mobile office have been moods for the model’s development, with Ford acknowledging changes in the way people use commercial vehicles.
Furthermore, market surveys indicate a classic pattern of use for the Transit Custom Trail: extreme sports enthusiasts, rural tradesmen, small adventure tourism firms and event management businesses are all cases in point.
Buyers on pre-production testing are falling over themselves to tell Ford what a magnificent piece of work they have come up with it–they have been generous in praise for its trim hitherto unheard of ability off-road in a van this size and attention to everyday needs in any situation.
Pricing reflects the Trail’s position as a premium product in the range. The entry fee is roughly 15% more expensive than an equivalent Transit Custom, but Ford argues that these models offer extra equipment and capabilities which make them well worth the price difference.
Order books are set to open next month, with first shipments expected in early autumn -a strategic move designed to cash in on bad weather, which in such conditions best tells temporary-pulling cars all four wheels are better than two.
Ford dealers are telling us that interest in the model has already been running high: just on specification details and pre-release imagery, a lot of potential customers have given their deposits to secure one of the first production slots.
The Transit Custom Trail, following on from similar concepts implemented across Ford’s broader range of commercial vehicles, is another Ford enterprise tailored for outdoorsy people who want both work and pleasure routines convenient alike.
Industry analysts see this as the latest example of car manufacturers departing from 9-to-5 vehicles because today’s consumers have more needs–vehicles that can accommodate different aspects of their life.
Competition in this area is heating up: there are several other manufacturers producing or developing similar vehicles that combine the practicality of a commercial vehicle with lifestyle features.
But Ford’s already established product brand in the commercial vehicle field and its past experience of developing off-road rugged passenger cars puts the Transit Custom Trail in a good position vis-a-vis competitors who may yet emerge or have just emerged to make an impact on this cash-rich market.
Meanwhile environmental safety has not been overlooked milieu, with the best possible emission control technology inevitably puts the Transit Custom Trail in line with current statutory requirements, though its new performance capabilities are undiminished by any of these changes.
Looking to the future, Ford has suggested that its electric powertrain choices might be added to the Transit Custom lineup. In particular this could include mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles whose introduction would further reduce overall pollution levels of motor traffic.
This is just what the Transit Custom Trail does. Recognizing that customers today need to change their vehicles along with themselves, it’s a new take on light commercials that can support both production demands and private dreams.
The Ford Transit Custom Trail is ideally poised to capitalize on a burgeoning trend toward versatile vehicles which rebel against conventional segment boundaries; A smart mix of what makes them stand out.