This Ford Transit Is The First Of Its Kind In Brazil

March 28, 2023 10:53 am

Ford Transit Automatic Brazil - Exterior 001 - Front Three Quarters

Since ending its manufacturing operations in Brazil, Ford has completely overhauled its operations in the South American country, revamping its lineup and adding the Ford Transit for commercial customers. Since then, the Transit has become the fastest growing commercial van in Brazil, quickly finding its foothold in that market and enjoying tremendous success in its first year on sale there. Now, following the launch of Ford Pro in Brazil – the automaker’s dedicated commercial entity – more Ford Transit variants are on the way, including this – the first Brazilian Transit equipped with an automatic transmission.

Officially called the Automática, this Ford Transit variant gives customers yet another option in terms of a large commercial van, one that’s a bit more comfortable to drive in crowded city centers and in stop and go traffic thanks to its 10-speed automatic gearbox. It’s available in minibus configuration with the capacity for either 15 or 18 passengers, as well as a long wheelbase, high-roof version.

The Transit Automatic is powered by the Ford 2.0L EcoBlue diesel engine, which is rated to produce 165 horsepower and 39.7 kgfm (287 pound-feet) of torque. Thanks to its new transmission, Ford says that the Transit Automatic not only makes the act of driving easier, but also provides an advantage in terms of expenses – as much as 70 percent less than a manual version, at least in terms of transmission maintenance costs. Pricing for the new model starts out at R$298,200 ($57,654 USD) for the minibus and and R$274,500 ($53,072 USD) for the van variant.

“Automatic Transit is another advance and pioneering of the line, a product long awaited by customers in the commercial segment and fully developed with a focus on their productivity,” said Guillermo Lastra, director of Commercial Vehicles at Ford South America. “In addition to reducing driver fatigue and distraction, it has a standard of efficiency, economy and durability that favors the uptime and total cost of operation.”

We’ll have more on the Transit soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford Transit news and ongoing Ford news coverage.

By Brett Foote

Brett's lost track of all the Fords he's owned over the years and how much he's spent modifying them, but his current money pits include an S550 Mustang and 13th gen F-150.