- Spectacular Transit convoy sets Guinness World Records title for Largest Parade of Vans
- Convoy includes vintage and contemporary Transits serving businesses from mobile ice cream vendors to alpaca specialists and stars at the first ever Transit Festival
- Transit celebrates 60 years in continuous production this year and is the UK’s best-selling van for 59 years
If you want the job done right, you call someone who drives a Transit van.
That includes when the job is setting a Guinness World Records title – although in that case you might need to make more than one phone call…
When Ford asked Transit owners to help celebrate 60 years of the iconic van in a history-making convoy, businesses and Transit enthusiasts from across the UK answered the call.
In total, 201 Transits joined the convoy – officially a new Guinness World Records title for the Largest Parade of Vans.
From petrol-powered first-generation Transits to the latest E-Transit 1 and Transit Custom PHEV 2 models that are helping Ford Pro customers transition their businesses to electric – the convoy was made possible by a passionate Transit community including customers and business owners, dealers, converter partners, media, Ford employees and enthusiasts.
“This record-setting achievement is a testament to the passion Transit inspires and to the versatility of the world’s best-selling cargo van,” said Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director, Ford of Britain and Ireland. “Our Transit convoy demonstrated the huge variety of services made possible by Ford Pro and Ford’s industry-defining van across six decades.”
Ford received the Guinness World Records certificate from Carl Saville, Guinness World Records adjudicator, at the first-ever Transit Festival – a celebration of the van’s rich history, hard-working customers, dedicated fans and innovative future.
“At Guinness World Records, we document the incredible from all around the world, and the record achieved for the ‘largest parade of vans’ is a great example of this, especially as this event is in celebration of the iconic Ford Transit van – the appropriate vehicle to be setting a new Guinness World Records title,” Saville said.
Each of the drivers who participated is now also a certified record-setter in their own right and received a special digital certificate to commemorate their part in the event. Among them and central to the record-setting success was Peter Lee, Chairman of the Transit Van Club.
“Transit has touched millions of lives in its 60 years supporting businesses and communities, and every one of those people is a part of this iconic van’s story,” Lee said. “Transit has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, so to be involved in this record-setting experience feels extra special. It’s a day I won’t forget in a hurry.”
Ford’s incredible convoy was assembled at the Ford Dunton Technical Centre in Essex, where the company designs and develops the latest generations of Transit.
It then drove 29 miles (46 kilometres) to the Transit Festival at Chelmsford City Racecourse, where more than 2,500 enthusiasts registered to take part in fun, games and useful activities including workshops to help small business owners maximise the productivity of their vehicles, dive into important issues like tool theft, and learn how to use social media to grow their businesses.
The first Ford Transit rolled off the production line on August 9, 1965, and more than 13 million have been produced globally since.
Transit Custom has been the best-selling van in the UK for 11 consecutive years, and either Transit or Transit Custom has been the UK’s best-selling van for 59 years.
ENDS
For more information, please contact ford@harrispr.ie
1 Up to 402 km driving range based on full charge of E-Transit with enhanced range option
2 Transit Custom Plug-In Hybrid homologated CO2 emissions 86-112 g/km WLTP, homologated fuel efficiency 3.8-4.9 l/100 km WLTP and pure electric driving range 46-55 km WLTP.
Estimated range using Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Figures shown are for comparability purposes and should only be compared with other vehicles tested to the same technical procedures. The actual range may vary due to various factors (e.g. weather conditions, driving style, route profile, vehicle condition, age and condition of the lithium-ion battery).
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 171,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.