New Ford Transit skeletal chassis cab provides 200kg additional payload

Ford has introduced a new Transit skeletal chassis cab that provides a lower height platform for a wide variety of body conversions and up to 200Kg extra payload.

The new skeletal Transit offers a 100mm lower chassis height than the standard front-wheel drive chassis cab model, providing easier access to the load floor.

A lower step height also removes the need for a separate tail lift.

Ford says the 200kg weight reduction provides operators with a significant payload advantage – particularly in combination with lightweight body conversions – in addition to the potential for enhanced fuel efficiency.

The skeletal chassis derivative will build on the success of the Transit two-tonne model, which continues to generate increased demand in the UK and across Europe. Transit has achieved 52,000 sales for 2018 year-to-date, 20,000 of those in the UK alone.

“Ford’s Transit is already legendary for its huge range of body styles, drivelines and size variants, and this new model takes our offering a significant step further,” said Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe. “The new Transit skeletal chassis opens up exciting new opportunities for grocery delivery vehicles and other low-floor body conversions where ease of access is paramount.”

The skeletal chassis model is based on a front-wheel drive Transit platform, and features an open-backed cab design that supports easy walk-through from the cab to the load space of the converted body.

Customers can specify a choice of three different wheelbase lengths to suit a variety of body conversions, with a wide-track rear axle for the longest variant and an optional wide-track rear axle for the two shorter variants. All versions offer a gross vehicle mass of 3.5 tonnes.

The Transit skeletal chassis derivative is offered with Ford’s 2.0‑litre EcoBlue diesel engine in 130PS or 170PS outputs, paired with a standard six-speed manual transmission. Customers can also choose a six-speed automatic transmission, ideally suited to urban delivery applications.

The new model is available to order now.