Transit mini double
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• Almost a year after prototype Welfare and PSV versions were shown at the Birmingham Motor Show, Ford's latest Transit minibuses have finally become generally available to operators.
The new minis are available through Ford's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) section and are initially converted by Dormobile of Folkestone, which builds up a basic 5.5m bodyshell with windows on to a specially-modified 3.6-tonne GVM Transit 190 chassis cowl.
The Dormobile base body has glass-reinforced plastic front and rear mouldings and roof with alloy side-panelling over a conventional steel subframe.
Dormobile produces two base body shells, a PSV and the Welfare. The Welfare body is finished with windows and two hinged rear doors while the PSV version has a single rear door and a near-side aperture, designed to take a jackknife-type front door.
These two shells are supplied to Ford dealers, or via Ford dealers to bodybuilders, for the fitting of seats and final internal trimming.
Dormobile can supply its own complete vehicles, Dormobile's Welfare Transit can be ordered with up to 16 seats, while its full PSV conversion is specified with up to 16 seats with room for five standing.
Both Dormobile models can be specified with a wide variety of internal fittings including high-back seats for luxury coaching.
Operators can order the latest Transit minis with either a 56kW (7'7hp) two-litre petrol engine, or a 2.5-litre 51kW (68hp) direct-injection diesel. Petrol models can be specified with either a fouror fivespeed gearbox. Diesel versions come with a four-speed box as standard, but with the option of the four-plus-two overdrive transmission.
Retail prices for the complete Dormobile vehicle starts at around £21,000, depending on final specification.
The new minibus options from Ford represent a departure from the company's old practice of offering PSV Transits based on modified parcel vans. The latest models, converted by Dormobile have been specifically developed for PSV operations. It is thought that the delay in launching the models was caused by revisions to the original specification.