Ford's Kombi fighter: Tourneo bus gets brawnier engine, autobox

Pretoria - With the market shifting rapidly towards automatic gearboxes, Ford has added two auto options to its Tourneo Custom Bus line-up, which was previously only available in manual guises.

But while the manual models soldier on with the current 2.2-litre turbodiesel engines, the auto versions gain a brand new 2-litre single-turbo engine that’s similar to the one that features in the Ranger and Everest line-ups.

However, the Tourneo models don’t gain the 10 speed box that’s fitted to the latter models, instead it makes do with the six-speed unit that’s also found in the Ranger 2.2 and 3.2 models.

The new 2-litre single-turbo diesel engine, or SiT as Ford calls it, is available in two output guises. In the mid-range Trend spec grade, the engine produces 96kW and 385Nm, and in the flagship Limited derivative it’s good for 136kW and 415Nm.

The new engines also feature AdBlue technology - a first for Ford SA - which uses a non-toxic urea/water-based solution to convert nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the exhaust gas into nitrogen and water.

As mentioned the 2.2-litre manual models soldier on as before, with three output levels depending on the spec grade: Ambiente (74kW/350Nm), Trend: (92kW/350Nm) and Limited (114kW/385Nm).

New cabin for auto models

Another USP for the auto models is that they feature a refreshed cabin, with the Limited model featuring a 20.3cm touchscreen infotainment system with Ford’s Sync3. Ford is also offering an array of optional features, including Adaptive Cruise Control.

"We've seen growing customer demand for an automatic version of the Tourneo Custom, and we are delighted to expand the current line-up with the two new models that feature the smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission," says Ford SA marketing head Doreen Mashinini.

"AdBlue brings a new dimension to Ford's efforts to reduce exhaust emissions and make a meaningful contribution to environmental sustainability," Mashinini added.