The Ford 1-Tonne Van That Sips Fuel Like a Family Car; Transit Custom ECOnetic Delivers Best-in-Class Efficiency

          Ford’s all-new Transit Custom ECOnetic 1-tonne van delivers best-in-class fuel economy

• Transit Custom ECOnetic variant offers fuel-efficiency from 6.0 l/100 km (47.1 mpg)* and CO2 emissions from 159 g/km** – comparable to a family diesel car***
• Unique low-CO2 features include Acceleration Control that improves real-world fuel economy by up to 15 percent, standard Auto-Start-Stop and switchable 110 km/h (68 mph) speed limiter

COLOGNE, Germany, Nov. 2, 2012 – Ford has launched the all-new Transit Custom ECOnetic, an ultra-frugal 1-tonne van that delivers class-leading fuel-efficiency to match that offered by a family passenger car.

The Transit Custom ECOnetic achieves best-in-class fuel consumption from 6.0 l/100 km (47.1 mpg)*, a reduction of 8 percent against its predecessor, and CO2 emissions from 159 g/km** – placing it on a par with a family passenger car such as the popular Ford S-MAX***.

“Transit Custom already delivers great fuel economy and the new ECOnetic model pushes the bar higher, into the realm of the family cars,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president Product Development, Ford of Europe. “The Transit Custom ECOnetic is packed with advanced fuel-saving technologies that help businesses keep running costs to a minimum and reduce their carbon footprint.”

The ECOnetic version of the all-new Transit Custom, recently named “International Van of the Year 2013”, delivers many low-CO2 features as standard, including Acceleration Control, an innovative new technology that limits the acceleration to levels achievable when the vehicle is fully laden, enabling significant fuel savings when the vehicle is unladen or part-laden. Field tests show that Acceleration Control can reduce real-world fuel consumption by 4 to 15 percent and cut wear-and-tear on brakes, tyres and other components.

Powered by a 100 PS version of Ford’s 2.2-litre Duratorq diesel engine, the ECOnetic model also offers standard Auto-Start-Stop that can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10 percent in urban driving.

Additional fuel-saving features include a switchable 110 km/h (68 mph) speed limiter, a unique engine calibration, a coolant bypass valve for quicker warm-up, optimised gearing with a 6 percent longer final drive ratio, low rolling resistance tyres and aerodynamic wheel trims. As an option, customers can also specify fixed speed limiters for speeds of 90 km/h (56 mph), 100 km/h (62 mph) and 112 km/h (70 mph) to suit their own operating requirements.

The all-new Transit Custom ECOnetic will be available in short or long wheelbase form and three gross vehicle weight options; all versions will provide the same unmatched combination of style, driver appeal and class-leading functionality as the rest of the Transit Custom line-up. The ECOnetic model is available to order now, with customer deliveries commencing in early 2013.