Two years ago, I wrote a news article in which I mentioned that Ford would add the Transit Trail to its line of European vans. It was a fortified Transit, inspired by the F-150 and Bronco Raptor, built for adventure to satisfy the trend’s monster popularity vanlife
which does not seem to fade.
At the time, I was seriously questioning Ford’s decision not to market it here. After all, the vanlifeit’s popular here too. Ford has finally understood and will market the TRansit Trail with us next year.
This news was confirmed to us through the Twitter account of Ted Cannis, CEO of the Ford Pro division, which is responsible for commercial vehicles at Ford. In a short video lasting only 18 seconds, we see the silhouette of a Ford Transit Trail seen in profile in nature, as if its occupants were using it for camping.
From job site to campsite. Ford #TransitTrail coming soon! 🌲🏕️🚐🌲 pic.twitter.com/B5UNAqEBvT
—Ted Cannis (@tedcannis) October 12, 2022
The video then shows some close-up shots of the off-road tires, the grille and the position lights installed on the grille. At the end of the video, Ford confirms that the Transit Trail will indeed be marketed here in 2023, without however giving a date.
We can therefore see that, just like its European counterpart, the Transit Trail will offer essentially the same kind of equipment, that is to say a slightly raised ground clearance, off-road tires and skid plates. Our model, however, seems to wear a slightly different grille, notably by the classic Ford crest and not the huge FORD as offered by the Raptor models. The position lights above the grille also seem to be exclusive to our market.
Obviously, we’ll have to wait a few more weeks before knowing all the technical characteristics, because the chances are slim that our Transit Trail will be powered by the same turbodiesel engines as the European version. In all likelihood, the only engine offered would be the 3.5-liter V6, which produces 275 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. This engine would be mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox.
However, let’s wait until everything is officially revealed before deciding, because Ford could have some surprises in store for us. One thing is certain, the arrival of the Transit Trail is likely to attract a large number of outdoor enthusiasts. We’ll get back to you with more details as they become available.
