Ford Transit to be launched in the Philippines in November

Manila: Ford Philippines recently sent out an invite that they would be launching a new vehicle that will be “taking mobility further” together with an image of a front grille. This, of course, pique our curiosity and got us to thinking, is Ford finally bringing in a full-size MPV? Because based on the photo of the front grille, our best bet is that it’s a Ford Transit MPV.

 

A quick internet search for Ford Transit MPV showed that the photo teaser is, in fact, an image of the Ford Transit’s front façade. This is not the first time that Ford will be releasing a van in the Philippine market. It has offered the American-made E-150 before but did not appeal to the local market probably due to interior configuration, subpar A/C system unsuitable for a tropical climate, and that it guzzles down fuel as if there’s no tomorrow.

 

Though specs for the Transit for the Philippine market is not yet disclosed, we do know that the Ford van is available in several models all over the world. Variants include the following:

• Transit Courier: a ‘compact’ version of the van
• Transit Connect: small model
• Transit Custom: midsize van 
• High-roof Transit: tall clearance

 In terms of power and capabilities, that would depend on where it would be sourced. If it’s in Europe, the local Ford Transit would likely have a 2.0-L turbodiesel engine mated to a 10-speed automatic similar to the Ranger and Everest. If it will be sourced from North America, then it can have a 3.2-liter inline-5, a normally-aspirated 3.7-liter V6, or a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine partnered with a 6-speed automatic transmission.

 

An insider source revealed that the price range for the Ford Transit will be between Php2.5M to Php2.8M. But nothing can be confirmed till the launch date.

 It seems that Ford Philippines is wanting to make a bolder presence in our local auto industry and wants a bigger slice of the pie by entering this new segment and directly compete with the likes of Toyota Hiace Super Grandia and Hyundai Grand Starex. The launch of the new Ford vehicle will happen on November 30.

 Also Read: Ford Marikina is now ready to serve you