60 Years of Ford Transit: From Mk1 to SuperVan 4.2

Global Production Record

The Ford Transit turns 60 on August 9, 2025. Since the first model rolled out of Langley, UK in 1965, Ford has built over 13 million Transits worldwide. More than 10.1 million were produced in Europe and Türkiye. That output equals one new Ford Transit every 2.5 minutes for six decades. In 2024, nearly 20% of all vans sold in Europe’s 1-ton and 2-ton classes were Ford Transit or Ford Transit Custom.

Market Leaders in Multiple Countries

UK: Ford Transit or Ford Transit Custom has been the best-selling van in 59 of the last 60 years.
Norway: Nearly 90,000 Transits sold since launch. In 2024, Transit Custom had 35% market share in the 1-ton class.
Finland: Long-time leader in the 2-ton category.

Electrified Model Lineup

Ford Pro offers electrified variants across the Transit range:

E-Transit – Europe’s best-selling electric 2-ton van.
E-Transit Custom – now with AWD.
E-Transit Courier – compact EV for urban deliveries.
Transit Connect Plug-in Hybrid – up to 119 km (74 miles) EV range.

The E-Transit extended range delivers 402 km (250 miles) WLTP, a 28% increase over standard.

From Mk1 to E-Transit: Key Model Milestones

1965 Mk1 – Launched on August 9. Updated in 1975 with the “black look”.
1978 Mk2 – New bonnet space, 2.5L DI diesel, 2 million units produced.
1986 Mk3 – Aerodynamic “fast front” (Cd 0.37), better than many cars.
2000 Mk4 – First Transit with front-wheel drive, Duratorq TDCi diesel.
2006 Mk5 – New design, dash-mounted shifter, Intelligent AWD, Van of the Year 2007.
2012 Transit Custom – Introduced as part of four-model Transit family.
2014 Mk6 – 2-ton Transit launched globally.
2022 E-Transit – First fully electric 2-ton Transit.
2023 Mk2 Transit Custom – New platform, Van of the Year 2024.
2024 E-Transit Custom – Second fully electric Transit, MS-RT high-performance version.

Transit by the Numbers

From Transit 60 Facts:

1,300+ configurations of the 2-ton Transit.
Payload: from 1,700 kg in 1965 to 2,400+ kg today.
Cargo volume: 15.1 m³ in L3 H4 version – about 236,000 ping pong balls.
SuperVan 4.2: 1,400 hp electric motors, 2 tonnes of downforce at 150 mph.
MS-RT E-Transit Custom: 285 PS (281 hp).
First 1965 diesel: just 43.6 PS.

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Technology to Keep Vans on the Road

FordLiive predictive maintenance added 822,000 days of uptime across Europe in one year.
Ford Pro Telematics sends real-time alerts and usage data to reduce downtime and fleet costs.

Unusual Records and Rare Facts

Pop culture – Used by 1960s rock bands, rickshaw operators in Hong Kong, and Wallace & Gromit charity events.
Animal transport – London Zoo carried two baby elephants in a Transit in 1965.
Rail use – Modified to run on Swiss railway tracks.
Extreme endurance – Two Transits ran non-stop for a week at Monza in 1972, breaking three world records.
Monster truck – A 6.5-ton build used axles from a US military carrier.
Off-road – Rugged 4x4 Transit launched in 1982 for utility companies.
Hovercraft conversion – BBC Top Gear created the “Hovervan” with 600 hp.
Stunts – First van to jump over 15 cars, and holder of a caravan towing record at 170 mph.
Winter survival – One Transit survived six months buried under 5 m of snow and started immediately after thaw.
High-mileage hero – One owner’s 2008 diesel Transit passed 999,999 km, requiring a new odometer to keep counting.
Gaming star – Featured in Forza Horizon 4 with a digital model based on 1,000 heritage fleet photos.

Awards and Recognition

Transit Custom – Van of the Year 2013, 2020, 2024.
Transit models – five Van of the Year titles in total.
Over 25 industry awards for Transit Custom by 2020.

Sales Growth

Between 2014 and 2024, European Transit and Transit Custom sales rose 52%.
2024 production in Europe and Türkiye was four times higher than in 1966.

Pricing and Value

E-Transit starts around €55,000 (~$60,500 USD) in Europe. Targeted at fleets reducing fuel and service costs with EVs. Competes with European and Chinese electric vans on price and running cost.

Key Specs: Ford E-Transit Extended Range

Specification	Value
Battery capacity	89 kWh
Max range (WLTP)	402 km / 250 miles
Payload capacity	2,300–2,400 kg
Cargo volume (max)	15.1 m³
Max power (SuperVan 4.2)	1,400 hp
Drive options	RWD, AWD (Custom)

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Transit’s Future

Ford forecasts sharp growth in zero-emission vans by 2030.
The Ford Transit EV range will drive that growth, backed by:

Full-size EV lineup for every van category.
Predictive uptime tools like FordLiive.
Fleet telematics for data-driven efficiency.
Conversion-ready platforms for specialist business needs.

Six decades on, the Ford Transit remains the global standard for vans — now with electrification and connected services positioning it for another 60 years of leadership. @ Ford.