The fifth-generation Ford Transit has been spied in Europe, on the back of a flat-bed truck.
The revised Transit was accompanied by a Volkswagen Crafter 4Motion, both of which were registered to Ford in Cologne.
Our spy photography agency has verified both vehicles were returning from a site where the off-road capabilities of vehicles are tested. If so, this prototype seems to confirm rumours of a new all-wheel drive Transit model.
Until now, the full-size Transit van has been offered as either front-wheel or rear-wheel drive only proposition depending on market and variant. A new all-wheel drive variant would be handy for Ford in northern European markets, and potentially the US and Canada, where snow is part and parcel of winter.
Aside from the potential addition of all-wheel drive to the mix, the Transit facelift isn't too surprising. The vehicle seen here has a completely revised front fascia with an inverted grille with thick horizontal slats and sharper edges.
Other changes include tweaked headlamp graphics, and a new rectangular set of fog lights. Interestingly, the bonnet looks as though it only includes one large vent, not today's two (or perhaps one functional and one cosmetic), just ahead of the windscreen.
It's likely Ford will offer the company's latest Sync 3 infotainment system with the updated Transit, and going on past form this will require a redesign of the Transit's dashboard, and the adoption of a simpler instrumentation area.
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