Long one of the most popular cargo and shuttle vans in Europe, the Ford Transit Custom is undergoing a major transformation for the 2013 model year and its updated styling is believed to be nearly identical to the new T-series vans headed to North America next year. Production of the new model starts today in Koaceli, Turkey at the Ford Otosan plant that also manufactures the smaller Transit Connect.
The Transit Custom is the front-wheel-drive variant of the van. The heavier-duty rear-wheel drive Transit is marketed to users with need for greater payload and hauling capacity. However, from the exterior, the front and rear-drive models are nearly indistinguishable.
The Transit Custom and its passenger-carrying sibling, the Tourneo Custom, are powered by Ford's 2.2-liter Duratorq turbodiesel I-4. Depending on configuration, the engine produces between 100 and 155 hp. The North American T-series, meanwhile, is expected to be offered only in the rear-drive configuration, with a choice of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, and an as-yet unspecified diesel option.