A unique vehicle deserves a unique launch and the Ford Transit Custom Sport did not disappoint.
The latest addition to the Blue Oval’s SA lineup is styled, tuned and marketed for million-rand men and their toys.
But, last week, Time to Travel took the Custom Sport on a much more humbling journey to assist needy Eastern Cape communities with equipment as unique as the vehicle itself.
Setting off from the Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport for Durban with a fleet of striped and aggressively styled vans certainly evoked a feeling of “The A-Team” rolling out for a mission.
The exterior upgrades give the Custom Sport a commanding presence with LED daytime running lights, blacked-out alloy rims and racing stripes.
There are a plethora of plush lifestyle features that are far removed from the conventional panel van.
These include heated partial leather seats, leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, a 13-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection, climate control and the familiar Ford digital instrumental panel.
The combination of the bespoke blue and black seats, piano black accents, rubberised flooring, big storage compartments and plenty of cup holders come together to present a subtle yet sophisticated allure.
A 2.0l turbo diesel engine pushing out 125kW and 390Nm — outperforming the long-wheel base Custom’s 100kW and 360Nm — sends torque-rich power to the front wheels.
This makes overtaking a breeze and delivers sufficient acceleration out of the corners along the tight cuttings in the former Transkei.
The Custom Sport’s short wheelbase set-up afforded the vehicle impressively smooth driving capabilities — especially considering that it is a panel van after all — and manoeuvrability for its size of 5,050mm in length.
A sleek-shifting eight-speed automatic gearbox smooths the driving experience regardless of the driving modes which include Normal, Sport and Eco — the latter being the mode we used for most of the almost 1,000km journey and returned surprisingly frugal figures of 7.8l/100km.
In the rear, there is ample space for weekend toys from dirt bikes to car parts and a capacity load volume of 5,800l and towing capacity of 2,500kg.
However, the cargo we were carrying was worth a lot more to those who received it.
As part of the launch, we stopped at four Eastern Cape medical facilities to hand over bespoke reinforced children’s mobility aids.
The easy-to-use walking frames — designed and engineered by Ford employees — assist children up to 25kg to regain mobility through a similar concept to a toddler’s walking ring with a much more sturdy and durable frame and cushioning.
Upon arrival at the stops, which included the Nompumelelo Provincial Hospital in Peddie, Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in Mthatha, Madzikane Memorial Hospital in KwaBhaca and the Oliver & Adelaide Tambo Regional Hospital in Bizana, the “A-Team” received a hero’s welcome from the region’s real superstars, the dedicated medical staff and their patients.
The gratitude and joy from the elated crowd as we retrieved the equipment — that had been secured using the six tie-down loops — from the rear through the electrically operated dual sliding doors, made the two-day trip truly memorable.
Proving once again that the thing more beautiful that the province’s landscapes is its people.
The humbling experience ended on another high after arriving at Durban’s King Shaka International Airport ahead of the team to catch the only flight back to Gqeberha, with the Transit Custom again illustrating that while it can do the work, this is not your traditional panel van.
Using the FordPass App, the event co-ordinator was able to locate and lock the vehicles remotely as they passed Port Shepstone.
And while the ride quality, features, space and power all exceeded initial expectations, it is a particularly pricey panel van retailing at R938,000.
It is aimed at a niche market and will not be delivering internet orders or joining any large-scale fleets.
The Herald
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