Ford says a substantial investment in its Turkish production facilities should help get more Transit Customs on the ground in Australia.
“The expansion of the Turkey operation has facilitated making more of them… That is really going to make a huge difference, because it just simply means there’s going to be more supply,” said Christine Wagner, general manager of fleet for Ford Australia.
Ms Wagner says Ford has strong supply of short- and long-wheelbase models, though noted there may be a slight wait for buyers who specify the optional dual sliding doors.
“Other than that, there’s strong supply right from the get-go for those models, so come on down,” she said.
Transit Customs are already in Ford Australia showrooms, with the new-generation van launching with short- and long-wheelbase Trend variants.
Sport models – a short-wheelbase van, and a long-wheelbase five-seat double-cab model – are due in the third quarter of 2024.
Ford is also expanding its range of vans with the electric E-Transit Custom, due in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Also due at that point is the Transit Custom-based Tourneo people mover, the first time this model has been offered here and the first time Ford Australia has sold a people mover since the Spectron.
Ms Wagner says demand from other markets has previously affected supply of the Transit Custom into our market.
“Up until now, often we haven’t always been the first market to be prioritised, so accessing them has been a bit tricky in the volumes we need,” said Ms Wagner.
“And if there’s one [segment] that needs consistent supply, it’s that, because when a van needs to be replaced, a customer can’t wait.”
The Transit Custom is sold not only in Australia, New Zealand and Europe, but also in South Africa, Mexico, and in some Southeast Asian markets like Vietnam.
Ford has invested an additional €2 billion (A$3.26bn) in production facilities in Kocaeli, Türkiye, where Ford Otosan – a joint venture between Ford and Koç Holding A.Ș. – produces the new Transit Custom van and Tourneo people mover and their electric derivatives.
In 2025, the Yeniköy Assembly Plant will expand its annual production capacity to 405,000 units.
Following its local launch in 2014, Transit Custom sales grew steadily, increasing every year and reaching a height of 2488 units in 2021.
But in 2022, supply issues saw Transit Custom sales fall 31.3 per cent. They subsequently rose by 66.4 per cent in 2023, reaching an all-time high of 2843 units.
That still wasn’t enough to knock the HiAce off its perch.
Toyota sold 7133 examples of the segment-leading van, more than double those of the Transit Custom (3633 sales).
