FORD, the undisputed number one in Britain's LCV field, showed its manufacturing muscle to the full at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC, Birmingham, with all versions of the new Transit on display, including the Jumbo and latest front-wheel drive models.

Also making its debut was the all-new Transit 15-seater minibus, boasting a rake of safety and security improvements, including standard driver and outer front passenger airbags, three-point seatbelts for all seats and ABS brakes with electronic brake force distribution. The model is powered by Ford's 2.4-litre turbodiesel unit. It was first showing too for the new Torneo 8/9 seater model.

Ford director of commercial vehicles Peter Fleet told Fleet NewsNet: '2000 was a pretty eventful and fantastic year for us. We couldn't have hoped for a better reception for the new Transit both from the press and customers. We sold just under 50,000 Transits last year to take 34% of the medium CV market and 40% of the panel van sector. We kicked off 2001 with 36.4% of the medium CV market in the first few months of the year and our target by the end of the year is 40%.'