Road - Ford wins again

Ford’s done it again. Last year it won the ‘International Van of the Year 2014’ award for its new one tonne Ford Transit Custom, and it has now won it again, this time for its brand new Ford Transit Connect. This is the fifth IVoTY award that Ford has won, but it’s the first time that a manufacturer has won the award twice in a row.

I haven’t driven the new van as yet, alhtough I saw it at the CV Show in Birmingham in April, and it's a really smart compact CV. However, the jury of 24 European specialist journalists has driven it, and they gave the Transit Connect 130 points from a maximum possible 163 to put it ahead of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (123) and Renault Kangoo (25).

This latest award follows the first success for Transit (2001), Transit Connect (2003), Transit (2007) and Transit Custom (2013).

Ford has now completely redesigned its entire commercial vehicle line-up over the past two years with the forthcoming two-tonne Transit and Transit Courier models to be launched in 2014.

The 2 tonne ‘proper’ Transit will be launched in the USA shortly before coming to Europe early next year while the baby of the family, the Courier will be along later in 2014.

The Transit Connect is available to order now for delivery in late 2013.