The original #Transit was a joint German-British effort but over successive generations, production was concentrated first in the UK, then Turkey, the European source of Transits since 2013. #Ford commercial vehicles are still developed at Dunton in the UK, a surviving fragment of Ford’s previously huge British industrial footprint. The Transit Custom van is still the best selling vehicle here, even as Ford’s car market share has plummeted. Pic details: alt txt #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar

@davidwilkins let's hope the new Transit Custom continues to sell well too, especially amongst lifestyle buyers. I want to see more people camping in them and with surfboards on top around Cornwall :) VW seems to have the cool van market completely to itself.

As for Ford's loss of market share in the UK that is a shame for the UK but it is arguably a win for the world at large as they concentrate on doing what they do best today, trucks and SUVs. Right now they have:

* Ford Maverick: The most affordable modern compact pickup (excluding things like the Fiat Strada and RAM 700) out there that's a genuine practical rival to not only mid-size trucks but also small cars like the Focus. And it does that whilst also performing well and being supremely efficient.

* Ford Bronco: Ford now has what's arguably a more capable SUV than Land Rover, Ineos, and even Jeep!

* F-150 Lightning: Whilst Telsa talked and talked about a full-size EV truck Ford went ahead and did it. And last time I checked this was the best-selling EV truck.

* New Ford Ranger: Comparing the new Ford Ranger to some traditional rivals is like comparing a truck from the future to a truck from the past. The AWD system is something that trucks like the D-Max and the HiLux don't have. Personally, I'd rather have a Toyota or Isuzu :) but that is beside the point, there's no denying that technology-wise the Ford Ranger is ahead of the rest.

Ford Everest: Read all the benefits of the Ranger and now make the rivals be: Fortuner, MU-X, and Montero Sport.

Anyway, I wish Ford good luck. I get the sense that the market is about to really change as Chinese manufacturers like BYD become more and more popular around the world. Manufacturers like BYD might take the slot that Ford used to have, in Europe at least.

@gpowerf Well that’s the problem. They’ve convinced themselves that they’ve become more efficient by shrinking themselves down to being mainly a US truck maker - a position that is incredibly vulnerable to any (IMHO not unlikely) change in regulation or consumer taste against such vehicles.

UK market share has fallen from 30%+ in the eighties to 7-8%. Not really a problem for the UK - most of the British Ford jobs have already gone. But certainly a problem for Ford. 1/2