MS-RT blings Ford Transit Custom crew-cab
Brit motorsport brand fettles Ford's six-seat van and it's available now in AustraliaThe 2020 MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV is admittedly courting a niche market, but for those after a a distinctive sports aesthetic in a crew-cab van with up to six seats, it offers commercial functionality and style in equal measure.
What is MS-RT? It's essentially a partnership between the UK's Van Sport and Malcolm Wilson, the British rally driving champion who is also the founder and owner of M-Sport, the reigning (and Ford-based) World Rally Championship team.
MS-RT produces kits to Ford GB's specifications to take the Transit Custom's look and interior to a whole new level, with the kits themselves then brought to Australia and fitted by Melbourne-based firm, AUTOSource International, with full ADR (Australian Design Rules) compliance.
When is the MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV on sale?
Based on the standard Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV (Double Cab in Van), the MS-RT-kitted version has just gone on sale in Australia, joining the existing MS-RT Ford Transit Custom models already offered by AUTOSource International.
While the MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV offers a cosmetic enhancement, the van's driveline, 3400kg GVM, 4365kg GCM, 1149kg payload and 750kg towing limits remain unchanged.
"Our enhancements are internal and external style enhancements; we don't touch the drivetrain in any way," says AUTOSource International's managing director, Frank York.
That means the MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV continues with Ford's Euro 6.2 compliant 'EcoBlue' four-cylinder turbo-diesel, good for a claimed 125kW and 390Nm, with power fed to the front wheels via the sole choice of a six-speed automatic transmission.
Ushered in as part of a range of Transit Custom updates for 2019, the powerplant produces an additional 29kW and 5Nm over its predecessor, but 29kW and 15Nm less than Ford's own Transit Custom Sport 320L DCiV.
The Ford Transit Custom Sport 320L DCiV boasts a cosmetic lift of its own, spanning 17-inch alloys, body kit, colour-matched mirror housings, a gloss-black front grille, bi-xenon HID headlights, a leather-accented and power-adjustable driver's seat, and a range of cabin trim highlights, making it something of a full-factory rival – albeit somewhat more restrained – for the MS-RT product.
The MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV, on the other hand, comes with the following list of enhancements:
- Full MS-RT designed and manufactured plastic external body kit, including: wide full front bar; revised grille and integrated deep front spoiler; wide wheel-arches; side skirts; rear quarter panels; wide rear bar with integrated diffuser; rear rooftop spoiler with integrated white-lens brake light. All prepared, colour-matched and painted
- Twin exhaust extensions with integrated MS-RT branded alloy outlets
- Five/six-seat Nappa leather and suede interior trim comprising World Rally Champions embossed accents in front head restraints
- MS-RT designed thick leather flat-bottom steering wheel with carbon inlay and MS-RT logo
- MS-RT carpets to front passenger floor area
- Interior build plaque with individual build number, and MS-RT dash pack badging
- Load rated 245/45/18 Michelin Sport 3 or Hankook Evo 2 performance tyres
- Italian OZ Racing alloy wheels measuring 18x8.0-inch in Anthracite featuring MS-RT logo
- External MS-RT badging on tailgate and doors
- MS-RT Rallye decal pack of external body graphics in 3M 1080 Carbon (with nine choices of highlight colour – a no-cost option)
With its second row of seating the MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV can take up to six occupants, and like the standard model on which it's based it comes with a comprehensive array of safety features.
The list spans autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.
That's on top of its six airbags, stability control (with rollover mitigation, trailer sway control and cross-wind stabilisation), load adaptive control, Ford's SYNC Emergency Assist (which automatically places a call to emergency services in the event of a serious accident), a reversing camera, and front and rear parking sensors.
How much does the MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV cost?
AUTOSource International is offering the MS-RT Ford Transit Custom 340L DCiV kit for $25,900 (including GST), which is $1000 more than its kit for the non-crew-cab Transit Custom.
The Transit Custom 340L DCiV is currently priced at $50,190 plus on-road costs, while the long-wheelbase Transit Custom 320L Sport DCiV is priced from $53,690 plus ORCs.
"Our customers primarily order their new Transit through their Ford dealer and ask for the MS-RT conversion as part of their purchase," says York.
"We then work with the dealer to prepare the van before it is delivered to the customer. This allows the customer to have a 'one invoice' transaction with the dealer, which assists with finance company requirements and tax deductions where the van is a company vehicle."
The process allows customers to specify the donor vehicle with any of Ford Australia's many factory options and accessories, including the fitment of rear barn doors or a top-hinge tailgate.
Importantly, the vehicle remains covered by Ford's full five-year, unlimited-kilometre factory warranty, with AUTOSource International covering all the MS-RT modifications over that period.
AUTOSource International says it takes around two weeks from when a customer's new Ford Transit Custom is supplied to final delivery in MS-RT form.
AUTOSource International began bringing these MS-RT kits to Australia in 2017, at times for both the Ford Ranger as well as the Ford Transit Custom, although for now it's only offering the Transit Custom.
York says MS-RT has undergone a number of process changes since it began offering the kits.
"MS-RT has taken all the body manufacturing for the Transit Custom in-house [it was previously produced by Polish auto design specialist, Carlex] and we've now got a much tighter agreement with Ford GB," he says.
"We're producing all those body panels and plastics to Ford GB's exact specifications, so they're essentially OEM standard."
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