The Ford Transit leaves British shores

The word legendary is banded around about many things in life that don’t quite deserve the hype, but one that does is the Ford Transit van; alongside others words like revolutionary. The iconic van – once labelled “the backbone of Britain” by advertisers – is still going remarkably strong in the UK, but a change is in the offing for this prestigious van.

It is a sad day for the British motor industry that the last ever Ford Transit has rolled off the production line in Swaythling. It brings to an end 60-years of Ford manufacturing in the UK and represents a fresh start for the brand. The reason for the move is purely financial with the car maker claiming that its new base in Turkey will come in at a “significantly lower” cost.

For the loyal staff of the Southampton-based plant it will be a mixed move with just over a fifth of the current employees being redeployed to a new vehicle-refurbishing plant in the same area. Meanwhile, a further forty or so will take positions elsewhere within the Ford business, but the majority have taken voluntary redundancy that was offered to them last October.

At such a time of upheaval for a much-love brand it is a good time to look at the things that have made the Transit such a popular van; the long list includes:

Reliable workhorse – Fords are built properly and that is what makes them Britain’s favourite car brand. When you get a Ford Transit van you will know that if you don’t need to, then you’ll probably won’t ever have to replace it. It’s remarkable to think that a van can outlast you, but if any van can then it would be a Ford Transit
Unbeatable practicality – It was just like a box on wheels that enabled commercial businesses to really up the amount of cargo that could be transported around the country. This multi-purpose capacity makes them ideal for removals, labourers and couriers to move as much equipment, materials and cargo around as they needed to do their jobs effectively
Value for money – Practicality, style and performance makes a Ford Transit the most popular van of all time. Throw in the fact that the price never breaks the bank and you can see instantly why the Ford Transit has won so many admirers over the years.

Despite the manufacturing moving to foreign shores you will still to be able to buy the Transit at the likes of the Vanwise Van Supermarket in Kent and Ford can rest assured that its flagship van will always remain a stable of commercial life in Britain.