KAZAN, November 28. /TASS/. Ford Sollers will bring to new models of light commercial vehicles Ford Transit Custom and Ford Tourneo Custom to the Russian market in 2017, a spokesman with the company told TASS.
"Ford Sollers announces the expansion of model range, Ford Transit Custom and Ford Tourneo Custom will appear on the Russian market in early 2017," the spokesman said.
For the Russian market Ford Transit will be equipped with a 2.2 liter diesel engine with the capacity of a 100 or 126 hp and a six-speed manual transmission. Ford Tourneo will have a 2.2 liter diesel engine with 125 hp capacity, a six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. The model will be represented in the market in an 8 seat version of a passenger bus of M1 category.
"To date, in Russia Ford Sollers presents a line of shuttle buses, vans, and special equipment on the basis of Transit, an expansion of the Ford model range with the release of Ford Transit Custom and Ford Tourneo Custom. This will allow the company to further strengthen the brand's position in the segment of light commercial vehicles," the company said in a statement.
The joint venture Ford-Sollers was founded in October, 2011 by Ford Motor Sollers with equal participation of the parties. Ford Sollers produces in Tatarstan 6 models of the total 8 that are assembled in Russia - crossovers Kuga, Explorer and Ford EcoSport, light commercial vehicles Ford Transit, minivans S-Max, Tourneo Custom and Galaxy.
In the first half of 2016, total sales by Ford Sollers in Russia increased by 56% year-on-year to 20,600 vehicles. Ford Transit and Ford Kuga commercial vehicles became sales drivers in the reporting period.