RVBusiness, March/April 2019

F 53 s multitude of upgrades provide a little more flexibility for the outfitters but should provide a much better driving experience for the end customers but he added that the new engine is key It ensures that were going to support that vehicle line for a Tim Stoehr long time Stoehr told RVBusiness Joel Beltramo Fords engineering manager overseeing development of the 73 liter engine added that the new powerplant will deliver high performance in a compact package providing durability ease of maintenance and the towing and payload capability customers want This will offer a step up both in performance and fuel economy he continued And when you look at durability because its built for the medium duty business its going to run and run and run with very low and simplified maintenance B e l t r a m o pointed out the engines lower profile due to its in block camshaft reduces engine height and width The result is a smaller doghouse Joel Beltramo compartment in the cockpit he added which should translate into a little more comfort and convenience for RVers Its compact package also provides greater maintenance access for technicians Beltramo noted and because it has two fewer cylinders it also uses fewer parts than the outgoing V10 resulting in less downtime at the shop and lower long term ownership costs In addition the 73 liter uses proven overhead valve architecture with a castiron block and forged steel crankshaft for maximum durability Port injection with variable valve timing optimizes the intake and exhaust to match performance with workload Oil jets cool the pistons under heavy loads In general were just trying to improve the overall drivability Beltramo said Fundamentally if you think about merging on the freeways and accelerating this will bring a more comfortable experience It just moves the performance of the vehicle a bit 48 RVBusiness M A R C H A P R I L 2 0 1 9 The 2020 Ford Transit will offer 92 vehicle configurations and has increased GVWR on its chassis cab and cutaway models to a maximum of 11020 pounds 2020 Ford Transit on Receiving End of New Engines Transmission and Comfort Features Back in 2015 when Ford Motor Co emigrated its do everything Transit van from Europe perhaps few outside of the automakers headquarters in Dearborn Mich could have predicted its stateside success At a January press conference Ford served notice that it had upped the ante yet again more than half of the content on the Transit for 2020 represents some sort of an improvement or upgrade Heres just a high overview of whats new for the 2020 Transit an available all wheel drive system new 20 liter EcoBlue bi turbo I4 diesel new 35 liter PFDi V6 gasoline engine with port fuel and direct injection plus new interiors and seating options that include swivel seats in the cockpit Additionally the 2020 Ford Transit now offers a class leading 92 vehicle configurations 28 more than its predecessor and the GVWR on its chassis cab and cutaway models is now a maximum of 11020 pounds quite a step up from the previous 10360 pounds Our RV business is a big business for Ford whether they buy an E Series Super Duty the F 53 strip chassis or the Transit But the Transit has really been well received said Tim Stoehr Fords general fleet marketing manager But one of the things we werent able to pack into what is already the most complex vehicle sold in North America was a swivel seat Were doing that and were launching it with the new 20 model Combining that front swivel seat with the all wheel drive capability is going to open up a whole new space We call them Adventure Vans Every one of the RV manufacturers is looking at Transit right now and next years going to be really really exciting One innovation Stoehr was especially excited about was the all wheel drive capability Available with gasoline powertrains he noted that Transits intelligent all wheel drive system is always on to provide enhanced traction on icy snowy or muddy roads In normal mode this all wheeldrive system continuously monitors and optimizes torque output with the capability of sending up to 50 of available torque to the front wheels to help prevent slipping on loose surfaces The driver has five selectable driving modes explained Gary Pietrzyk the supervisor overseeing Transits all wheel drive project Theres a normal mode an eco mode a slippery mode a mud rut mode and tow haul mode and what our calibrators do is tune the system depending on what mode youre in For example in mud rut Gary Pietrzyk mode youre going to want to apply more torque to the front to get you out of the mud whereas if youre in normal mode just cruising down the expressway we apply less torque continued on page 121 Designers sought to bring more car like comfort and convenience to the interior of the 2020 Ford Transit