THE huge success of the iconic Ford Transit van will come as no surprise to anyone who drives on our roads or has ever owned or driven a van. The Transit has been a fixture on our roads for over 50 years and an announcement recently from the company confirmed that in 2022 it was once again Europe’s commercial vehicle sales leader, marking an eighth successive year – a new record in the industry.
Ford Pro, the commercial vehicles and services business within Ford, recorded its highest-ever overall market share of 15 per cent and increased its share year-on-year in eleven regions: The UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and Turkey. Setting that new record demonstrates how much commercial customers have come to rely on Ford’s vans and pickups to deliver for their business.
Spearheading that success was the Ford Transit Custom, which last year was again the best-selling one-tonne van in Europe. Transit Custom, the best-selling vehicle overall in the UK, extended Ford’s market leadership to 57 consecutive years. Last year Ford announced the all-electric E-Transit Custom, with the EV successor arriving in late 2023.
The first-generation Transit, the Mk1, was introduced in October 1965. That generation had the longest production run of any Transit, staying largely unaltered for 12 years until a major facelift in 1978. The production of the Mk1 lasted for more than 20 years. The Transit back then was a departure from typical European commercial vehicles, with American-inspired styling and a broad track which gave it a huge advantage in carrying capacity. Another key to Transit's success was the sheer number of different body styles: panel vans in long and short wheelbase, pick-up trucks, minibuses and crew-cabs, to name but a few. The early Transits were the choice for what has become known as ‘White Van Man’.
As part of a major roll-out of new products and services, Ford Pro launched in the spring of 2022 the all-electric E-Transit van, which from its standing start has led European monthly sales of the two-tonne EV van segment since June last year. Ford Pro also unveiled new software, charging, servicing, and financing, purpose-built to help accelerate the productivity and sustainability of businesses of all sizes. And as if to complement the Transit success, in 2022 the company announced the all-new Ford Ranger pickup strengthened its segment leadership and marked eight successive years as Europe’s most popular pickup truck.
It would appear that Ford Pro continue to go from strength to strength.
Bad habits can hit your love life
DID you that know that your love life could depend heavily on your driving habits? Fiat asked if there are driving habits which could end a relationship. One third of the people surveyed agreed this was true and nearly three-quarters of those who agreed said they had broken up with a partner because of aggressive, poor, or just stupid driving habits. It seems attraction can turn to annoyance, even disgust, lessening romantic feelings because what a driver was doing was disturbing, or even just annoying.
Apparently, it most often occurs in the early stages of a relationship and there are threee big turn-offs in particular that should be avoided at all costs if you want to hang on to a partner: tailgating, road rage, and vehicles filled with stuffed toys.
The research found other common driving behaviours people need to get right were an inability to parallel park, sounding your horn the second the lights go green, playing loud music with the window down, and revving your engine hard at traffic lights.
Some of the more amusing or bizarre turnoffs were wearing driving gloves, stopping so far away from a ticket machine you had to open the door to insert your ticket, and having windscreen wipers on the fastest mode when it is only drizzling.If you want to attract someone, or not lose the one you’re with, other the driving turnoffs you must avoid are: returning to your car carrying so much that you struggle to get the car door open; speeding through puddles and splashing pedestrians.
So, you’ve been warned, if you want to keep that special person in your life, sort out your driving habits.
Jeep Avenger a new departure in Europe
RECENTLY-crowned European Car of the Year 2023, the Jeep Avenger 1st Edition (right), is open for pre-order ahead of the full launch in June. It’s Jeep’s first 100 per cent electric SUV and prices start from £36,500 on the road.
The limited-edition Avenger would appear to be a modern, potentially fun, desirable SUV which will surely appeal to customers looking for a capable, compact, modern, all-electric Jeep. This new SUV offers impressive ground clearance, approach, breakover and departure angles, which means it doesn’t want to roll or lose traction. It delivers a modern and technologically advanced interior with class leading space for luggage and contents. Thanks to its high power (max power 156hp, 115kW) and torque (max torque 260Nm), this Jeep should deliver uncompromised driving enjoyment on and off-road, providing a range up to 248 miles.
The Avenger’s charging system supports 100kW rapid charging, enabling 0 to 80 per cent charge in just over 30 minutes, or five minutes charge to get the average daily usage of 28 miles. It is available in a choice of three colours: Sun, Graphite and Volcano, and all come with a black roof, privacy glass and 18-inch alloy wheels. The Avenger comes with a three-year vehicle warranty (or battery warranty of 100,000 miles in eight years). The new Avenger is equipped with standard SelecTerrain and Hill Descent Control which, together with its outstanding ground clearance, bring impressive levels of off-road capability.
That SelecTerrain system offers six modes: Normal for everyday driving; Eco to enhance range; Sport for more driving fun; “Snow” for maximum traction on icy roads or trails; Mud to optimise muddy off-road performance; and Sand to limit the risk of becoming stuck on sandy soil. The new Avenger offers next-level safety and convenience features including a 10.25-inch HD touchscreen Infotainment system, DAB, voice recognition, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, 360° parking sensors and 180° rear camera and level-two autonomous drive, which means it has lane-centring and traffic jam assist. It comes with wireless smartphone charging and keyless entry and go, blind spot monitor, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, hands-free power liftgate, traffic sign recognition with intelligent speed assist and rain sensors.
The new Jeep Avenger marks the introduction of a portfolio of new battery electric vehicles for the brand in Europe, showing its strong commitment to a future of sustainable mobility in line with Jeep’s vision of ‘Zero emissions, 100 per cent freedom’. The Avenger enters a competitive segment, but it appears to stand up well against the competitors.
