Two vehicles will be needed to replace Transit
Page 16
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• Ford's current Transit could be the last to cover the entire weight range from 2.3 to 4.0 tonnes GVW with a single model. Following Mercedes' lead with the Sprinter (see page 18), Ford is considering using two models to replace the present Transit range towards the end of the decade, Ford is expected to opt for front-wheel-drive at the lighter end, retaining rearwheel-drive for heavier models.
While Mercedes will base the smaller model on its Viano "people carrier" Ford is unlikely to produce a van version of the Galaxy people carrier. The Galaxy was developed jointly with VW and uses VW diesel engines—with such a dominant share of the European panel van market, Ford will want to use its own engines in any Transit replacement.