Photo Caption: Director David Spear
It’s officially the end of the road for the Ford Fiesta Van. A once popular model in the UK’s light commercial vehicle (LCV) market, the Fiesta Van boasted all the comfort, features and fuel efficiency of a small car with the practicality of a commercial vehicle. However, with the last month for production marked as April 2017, Heads of The Valleys based dealer David Spear Commercial Vehicles looks back at the story of the Fiesta Van and reveals what’s to come for the Ford van fleet.
“The Fiesta is a bestselling model in the Ford range and has been manufactured across seven generations since 1976 in countries around the world. Alongside the 3-door hatchback that many consumers will know and love, the 3-door panel van has also been a great success. Manufactured across six generations, the Fiesta van first came onto the scene in the sedan delivery/panel van format, and whilst the body style evolved over the years, the 3-door body shell with rear side coloured metal instead of glass and flat floorplan instead of rear seats remained,” said Owner David Spear.
In 1991, the Fiesta Van entered the market with a new ‘high cube’ style, and was introduced and named the Ford Courier, a model which went onto replace the Ford Transit Connect. With Fiesta’s Mark V and Mark VI models however Ford took the van back to its original 3-door van style.
David added, “With its combined MPG of 94.2 and CO2 emissions of 82g per km, there’s no doubt that many fleet managers and commercial customers will be sad to see this model go. Looking ahead the Ford van fleet’s Courier, Connect and Custom Transit models will remain a firm part of the vehicle manufacturer’s future and could become an integral part of your fleet too.”
The Transit range is an ever growing aspect of the Ford brand, and with the Ford Transit Courier, Ford Transit Connect, Ford Transit Custom and Ford Transit Van just some of the models setting new standards for compact vans, commercial customers will enjoy the convenient, commercially focused features on offer.
“The Ford Transit Connect in particular, named International Van of the Year back in 2014, is a one-to-watch in the LCV market, and offers a range of capabilities for big and small business owners alike. With excellent fuel economy, load carrying ability and durability, this van model and others in the Ford van fleet have the potential to transform the way you work. The Ford Ranger is also an exceptional 4×4 for those looking for a pick-up truck,” concluded David.