Ford Transit: Is this the most important vehicle in Britain’s history? | Top Gear RETROspective

The trusty old Ford Transit van is the UK’s best-selling commercial vehicle. Beloved of brickies, posties, chippies, roadies and everything in between. It’s a proper van’s van. Could it be the most important vehicle in the history of Britain? In the latest episode of our retro mini-series, Top Gear Magazine's Jack Rix finds out...

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[workingguy-OU]

I appreciate that you showed Sabine. I'm hit, yet again, that the world has lost her, and that's tough to deal with. But it made for a highlight in this history of the van and the show.

[Carsaddiction]

The XJ220 Transit for me is the most epic conversion ever!

[pearce]

I have a 2019 transit custom m sport. I absolutely love the thing, surprisingly I get people coming up to me saying ncie things about my van. It’s kind of a honour to be driving such a thing

[TomBroughtonPhotography]

Really enjoying the influx of extra video content recently, all really good quality stuff as well. Keep it up!

[mixeddrinks]

Ford really has some iconic popular cars. The F150 in the US, the Focus worldwide, the Transit in UK. Etc. The man eating Mustang worldwide but my favorite is still the glove wearing man's favorite car, the Bronco.

[aneeshkashyap]

They skillfully cut out any "Jeremy" or "Hammond" from that clip. Wow.

[roscoe]

I’m pleased that you said traffic moved more gently, because you can not compare a 65 transit to modern vehicles, at the time, it was cutting edge, so what’s basic by today’s standard, was just the ticket and what was needed in 65, worlds best selling van, enough said

[chrism]

Let's please have more like this!

[pauliewalnuts]

Wow i didnt realize sabine schmitz died. I remember first seeing her in the nurburgring episode. her energy was something special i imagine she was a huge inspiration to aspiring female racers. Rip sabine.

[BRNx]

This format is quite nice. It's always good to learn something from the past. Especially these days, when many people forget about it 🤷‍♂️

[rishabhramesh]

And well done adding the oldest episode of transit in top gear

[cliffardgerald]

This film can never beat Sabine and Hammonds tribute to the transit

[MoJo-]

Is it me or is this better than the actual Top Gear Show ? Except Chris Harris of course...

[LouisSubearth]

All those iterations of Supervans to make an actual production model of it, but only in North America. The Transit there can be optioned with the 3.5 liter Ecoboost V6 making 310 horsepower. It may not have the driving characteristics of a race car, but it's no slouch on the road

[infinityplus]

I've grown up in the middle seat of a MK5 transit. I remember playing with the clock on the dash with my toes because I was so small. Some really great memories of going to car shows and work in the same van.

[davidpeters]

Drove a few in the 70's for thousands of miles in all weathers. A fantastic machine to drive and work with. RIP Sabine.

[Hondeer]

Greetings from West Coast USA where the Transit Van and VanLife have been crusing hwy 101 for the last 8 years.
Love my '15 130MR! Got a lift kit under it, some big knobby tires for the sand, board racks for windsurf and surfing.

[Ahmedth]

When he said "the LATE great Sabine Schmitz" I was like, "Hold up, What?!" I had to google that to know that she had passed away in mid-March 2021.
R.I.P. Sabine.

[effervescence]

The old ones were brilliant, it's just a shame since they moved production to Turkey that within a month of launching a new model or update all the security flaws are across the net. Almost as if they don't have an anti virus suite or pay the staff over there enough.

[fpupesh]

called it the backbone of britain, closed the southampton factory and moved all production to turkey. that's how ford says thank you to britain on spending billions on their vans.