Brentwood or Bremen
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The evergreen Transit's got tough competition in the shape of M-B's 208 Bremen van and we road test both here. First, Bill Brock appraises Ford's popular lightweight contender
• TOOK little more than ten .iars to sell the first million; 3w Transit sales are past the 'Hon and a half mark.
Ford hasn't rested on its lauds, either. Over the last 16 Rars the range has undergone mtinuous upgrading, adding igines, increasing payload, im-oving transmission and brakes -id so on.
A body style change, made in )78, has continued to make it acceptable for a wide range of uses. In Europe, the Transit outsells all other individual makes and on the home market last year took 36 per cent of the light vehicle market.
The range, consisting of eight payload ratings, extends from the 80 model, having a gvw of 2,070kg (2.03 tons), to the 190 at 3,500kg (3.44 tons). Heaviest models have a longer wheelbase and larger volume body to accommodate greater payloads.
Low-density high-volume loads are provided for at the lighter end of the panel van range by a long wheelbase version of the Transit 100, giving a longer platform length of 0.76m (30m) and an increase in height of 0.15m (Sin) over that provided by the standard body size.
A wide choice of either sliding and/or hinged doors can be made to tailor the van to individual access requirements on both sides while at the rear a one-piece tailgate or double doors can be specified. Double doors on our test vehicle could be restrained in the open position at 90 or 180°, but the hinge position prevents them being folded back along the side panel. A full opening width of 1.4m (4ft 7in), at floor height, is reduced to lm (3ft 31/2in) by the intrusion of large round-topped wheelarches, included for use with double wheel configuration and used with heavier models, but not needed here.
Quite simply it does not allow a four-foot wide sheet of hardboard to lay flat, discouraging to the 25 per cent of Transit users who, according to Ford's own statistics, are in the buildi industry.
An entry height of 1.23m 1/2in) is the same for the rear the 0.9m (351/2in) wide side do giving access to the front of load compartment. Our long wheelbase 100 v-a specified with Ford's Cust cab at a little more than C over the basic model pri Extras include a lid on the glo box, height adjustrnents f cloth-trimmed seat, a dual p senger seat, a clock, special t recorder, reversing lamps an front towing eye.
The 68-litre (15 gal) fuel tan standard on all long wheelb vans, and while halog headlamps are provid throughout the range, laminat windscreens are specified for but parcel van variants.
For the greater part of the jO ney north to MIRA's provi ground motorway was us Over the 198.5km (1,234 mi trip, the vehicle returned 25.9.1 (5.7 gal), an average of lit/100km (21.6mpg). Straig te driving, at cruising speeds )ar the legal limit, was inJenced both by crosswinds id the presence of high-sided ;hides.
The two-litre (122cu in) ferhead camshaft petrol enne has a low compression tio of 8.1 to 1, allowing the use two-star fuel. A power-toeight ratio of 23.2kW/tonne 1.5bhp/ton) and torque output 146Nm (107 lb/ft) left a little rottle in hand while travelling around 70mph in top gear id, matched to a four-speed iarbox, gave a restart gradeality performance down to a ie in five using first.
Over the ride and handling cirit, oversteer could be induced lifting off the throttle after iving hard into a bend. At slow
• eeds the steering, geared to ve full lock sweep in 41/2 turns, heavy but improves once the hide is rolling. A full load ttles the springs, giving a firm le with little roll.
Maximum braking stops on a y track produced high deceletion and short stopping stances. This was achieved thout any of the wheels lock3 despite a high pedal effort of out 150 lb force and as;tance from the vacuum servo toster.
Fuel consumption recorded er CM's light van route was
'adequate, returning 11.9 lit/100k-m (23.7mpg) laden and improving to 10.7 lit/100km (26.5mpg) after the load had been removed. Journey times, determined to a great extent by traffic conditions, were identical for both runs at 52.3km/h (32.5mph).
The rear step makes less of • loading and unloading from the rear, but adds to the already difficult removal of the spare wheel located beneath the floor pan.
Inside, the driving compartment is comfortable and reasonably quiet with much of the expected body boom baffled by the half-width bulkhead. Located directly behind the driver, it limits the extent of rearward seat adjustment for the longer-legged.
Although equipped to seat three abreast, the long gearshift lever reduces the available foot space for the middle passenger, but from the driving aspect, all controls are within reach with little stretching or bending.
Here in the foot well, the front wheel arches also reduce the room available.
In the dry, visibility is good to the front, to the sides and the rear — except for that uncertain area to the rear nearside quarter which prevails with all panel vans. On a wet day, it would soon become apparent that the wiper blades are large enough to clear only part of the screen.
At night, the headlamp wash, operational only when the bulbs are alight, ensures continued high performance from the square halogen lamps. Instrumentation is housed in a hooded binnacle shielding reflections from showing in the windscreen.
Between the speedometer and combined fuel level/engine temperature gauge are warning lamps for oil pressure, alternator change, direction indicators headlamp main beam leave room for a clock, placed centrally.
The long wide bonnet provides roomy access to the engine compartment for routine servicing; and, for more serious attention, the front grille is ra pidly detachable should the engine need removal from thE chassis.
The verdict
Ford makes much of the many variants it is able to offer with the Transit range. The 100 longwheelbase model incorporates most of the good and some o.1 the bad points encountered throughout the weight range.
A large body is a great benefit when carrying low density commodities, but some of the advantage is taken away by only half completing the adaptation. The large wheel arches should be reduced in size.
Access both to the load compartment and to the cab is generally, well catered for, but across-cab access, despite Ford claims, is obstructed by the gearshift. At this weight, the body size may contribute to straight line instability when encountering crosswinds or other disturbing factors.
For all that, it is part of the most popular range of panel vans on the roads of Britain. Priced at £5,321, without the added extras for radio, side load door and half bulkhead, the Transit Custom 100 lwb compares well with other makes providing similar body lengths.