Ford has introduced a new version of its Transit Chassis Cab, specifically designed to offer maximum cargo capacity for operators in the expanding 3.5‑ton international transport market. The newest front-wheel-drive Ford Transit L5 Chassis Cab features an extended length chassis and heavy-duty powertrains in response to strong demand from Poland, Central Europe, and the Baltic states – home to many businesses that deploy 3.5‑ton delivery vehicles on international routes.
Fitted with a curtain side box body conversion, the latest Ford Transit L5 Chassis Cab can transport up to 10 Euro pallets – even with a sleeper pod fitted – and offers an expected payload of up to 950 kilograms (2,094 pounds) once converted.
“Business is booming in the long-haul delivery sector and our new stretched Transit chassis cab model is specially designed to offer the largest possible load space – helping hard-working businesses be more productive than ever,” said Paul Baynes, conversions manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe.
The Ford Transit L5 Chassis Cab is now available across European markets, backed by Ford’s network of almost 200 Qualified Vehicle Modifiers in 13 countries to design and build bespoke conversions for specific business needs.
To deliver its generous cargo capacity, the new model features a 4,522 millimeter (nearly 15 foot) wheelbase – the longest of any front-wheel-drive chassis cab with a 3.5-ton gross vehicle mass (GVM). To ensure the new chassis cab meets customer requirements, Ford has already worked with converters Carpol and Nadwozia Partner in Poland to produce typical international transport demo vehicles with curtain side box bodies and sleeper pods behind or above the cab.
All Transit L5 FWD Chassis Cabs are equipped with emissions-compliant HD versions of Ford’s fuel-2.0L EcoBlue diesel engine, which is rated to deliver 130 PS (128 horsepower) and 360 Nm (265 pound-feet) of torque as standard equipment, with an optional, higher-performance variant producing 160 PS (158 horsepower) and 390 Nm (287 pound-feet) of torque also available. Both engine variants support conversions exceeding 2,380 kilograms (5,247 pounds) of converted weight, ideal for international transport operators.
A six-speed manual transmission is fitted as standard, while a six-speed automatic transmission featuring a manual shifting mode is also available. An optional 95-liter (25-gallon) extended range fuel tank can be specified with all powertrains as well. Available driver assistance technologies including Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane-Keeping System, which are designed to ease fatigue on long-distance drives, and were recently recognized by independent vehicle safety authority Euro NCAP.
The new L5 Chassis Cab further expands Ford’s Transit range in Europe, which also includes the heaviest-rated Transit Chassis Cab ever, which reached dealerships late last year offering a 5.0-ton GVM for heavy conversions. In 2020, Ford was the leading commercial vehicle brand in Europe for the sixth consecutive year, while Transit recorded sales of 87,139 units in Ford’s core European markets.
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How does the driver get into the sleeper in the Transit L5 Chassis Cab