Hi
Please excuse if I've posted this in the wrong series forum. We have purchased a 2017 460 EL minibus which has 17 (or 18) seats. We're really suprised and disappointed with the engine performance. We've also been stung badly with the downrated towing capability. To be frank, a lot about this vehicle doesn't make any sense at all and it would be great to get some insight from this forum. For example
The 460 minibus has the 2.2 diesel and it's spec says it's 100KW. Now I know that's not a big engine in terms of power but we've noticed a world of difference between it and our 2010 12 seat transit minibus ( I know they are different weights but wait while I lay out the stats) .
460 Tare = 2919 kg
2010 Tare = 2440 kg
460 GVM = 4,600
2010 GVM = 3490
460 power = 100KW
2010 power = 103KW
460 unbraked = 750kg
460 braked = 750kg (yes..... you can't tow anymore than 750kg when van is at max GVM
2010 unbraked = 750
2010 braked = 2800
If we load up the 2010 with 400kg we can still drive it up a particular hill near us in 5th gear. In the 460 we're reaching for 3rd gear? We don't get that 3kw can make that much of a difference?
We also don't understand why the cargo equivalent of this van (470E) is specced at 114KW but the minibus version is 100KW. Similarly, the 470E can have a GCM of 7000kg yet the 460E is 5,350. Are the brakes and suspension in the 470E really different?
So the specific questions are
- why has the engine been downrated to 100KW compared to the cargo equivalent. They are the same engine aren't they?
- why have all of the new transit minibuses been downrated for towing compared to the previous generation?
- Is ford having an issue with the gear box or something in the 460E that has caused them to downrate the power output?
The 460E looks fabulous, but as soon as you go up a hill you are ready to ask the customers to stick their feet out the bottom like the flintstones to help get over the hill. The towing capacity is downright weird at only 750KG.
Hope someone can shed some light on this.
Cheers
Ford Transit 2010 - 12 seater minibus
Ford Transit 460E 2017 - 17 seater minibus