Beloved by bands and bank robbers, the Ford Transit turns 60

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0j97xegz5no

by bookofjoe • 12 months ago

31 20 12 months ago

And hated by every fleet manager and mechanic that saw them replace their substantially more ignorance and abuse proof old E-series.

I completely understand why Europe loves them though. They don't expect to play truck with their vans and of the Euro vans it's arguably the best one (I hope the Mercedes fanboys take offense to that statement).

bookofjoe2• 12 months ago

From the 2015 model year onward, the E-Series has remained in production solely in cutaway and stripped chassis configurations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_E-Series

Ford E-Series chassis cabs and cutaways to survive mass Transit onslaught [UPDATE]

https://www.autoblog.com/news/ford-e-series-chassis-cabs-con...

unethical_ban• 12 months ago

Yeah, I didn't know it was a brand before it replaced the Econoline here in the US.

linksnapzz• 12 months ago

I understand the frustration w/ the Sprinter; the Bremen Transporter was a better van.

tiernano• 12 months ago

Just have to put these in for the birthday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQJKQjXpGQA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KiC03_wVjc

SirFatty• 12 months ago

Thanks for that... I did not realize that Sabine Schmitz had died, she was great.

sabjut• 12 months ago

Funny how a completely ordinary and incredibly useful vehicle ends up with such a skewed image in the US.

In Europe, a Ford Transit is just what the local plumber or electrician drives. It's a no-nonsense work tool. In America, thanks to what I assume is decades of media tropes, the same van is portrayed as the getaway car in a heist or the “creepy unmarked van” parents warn their kids about.

It’s as if a hammer were seen as suspicious because it could be used in a crime.

alistairSH• 12 months ago

Huh, maybe I'm in a weird bubble, but when I see a Transit (or a Sprinter), I think "that would make a cool camper".

But, you're correct that we don't see as many plain old work vans in the US. It's either big pick-ups or box vans.

uticus• 12 months ago

https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/forums/camper-vans-and-c...

https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/forums/ford-transit-pict...

bookofjoe2• 12 months ago

Indeed. A friend of mine has lived in his for many years, all over the country.

master_crab• 12 months ago

You’re thinking of the Econoline or E-Series in the US. Those are the panel vans that have been stereotyped as “creepy vans”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_E-Series

tshaddox• 12 months ago

Yep, the fourth gen E-Series cargo vans are the ones with "creepy kidnapper" vibes (along with the third gen Chevy G-series). And even then it's only when they're beat up and don't otherwise appear to be for commercial use.

Ford Transit vans have absolutely no such negative connotation.

lupusreal• 12 months ago

In Europe, a Ford Transit is just what the local plumber or electrician drives. It's a no-nonsense work tool.

Its the same way in America. White vans are ubiquitous, used by plumbers / etc. IRL, people don't even take note of them because they're just unremarkable and extremely common.

The media trope is mostly just that, a media trope. Insofar as white vans have any real association with crime it's probably just because criminals will favor whatever windowless vehicle is the least attention grabbing and white vans are strong contenders for that.

extraisland2• 12 months ago

Insofar as white vans have any real association with crime it's probably just because criminals will favor whatever windowless vehicle is the least attention grabbing and white vans are strong contenders for that.

It says in the article. It was because they were relatively quick because they were light (it is just panels) and had lots of room.

There are also legends in my local area of a Transit with a v8. Apparently nothing can could beat it on the road. Considering how fast truck cabs are unladen I can believe it.

There are other British Cars that were favoured by criminals because of their sear speed. The Lotus Carlton being another one and the infamous 40RA number plate.

hibikir• 12 months ago

A very high percentage of businesses which in Europe would be running a Ford Transit are instead using pickup trucks. It's not everyone: Electricians really want their cargo area to not get wet, but if there's a choice between a van and a truck, very often the American contractor is driving a pickup truck, even installing shelving and extra storage.

bell-cot• 12 months ago

Then vs. now...

Ford.com says that the 2025 base model Transit "starts at" $47,400.00.

From a quick search, the average "take" in a bank robbery is about 10% of that.

Average gigs for starting bands pay far less. But on the upside, "facing the music" is not as bad in that line of work.

Suggestion for current-day bands and bank robbers:

https://www.carfax.com/Used-Cars-Under-1000_f1

freedomben• 12 months ago

Forget your modern high-tech nicknacks like satnavs and touchscreens. All you get here is a steering wheel, a big chrome-lined speedometer dial and a chunky heater control. There isn't even a radio.
Out on the road, it rattles and bangs and occasionally jumps out of gear.
Disconcertingly, there's no seatbelt, the seat itself has an alarming tendency to move around, and the brakes don't seem to do very much at all.

I have a friend who collects and restores classic cars, and it is mindblowing how polished modern vehicles are (despite attempts by Ford et al to fill them with the world's shittest software so that you sometimes have to pull over and power cycle (restart) your car just to fix the GD radio). If you haven't ridden in a vehicle 50 years or older in a while, and you get a chance to, take it!

extraisland2• 12 months ago

You don't even have to go that old. Any old Land Rover Defender before 2016 will be like that.

potato37328423• 11 months ago

I have a friend who collects and restores classic cars, and it is mindblowing how polished modern vehicles are (despite attempts by Ford et al to fill them with the world's shittest software so that you sometimes have to pull over and power cycle (restart) your car just to fix the GD radio). If you haven't ridden in a vehicle 50 years or older in a while, and you get a chance to, take it!

Exactly. The progress just keeps adding up and for far enough comparison points it's a categorical difference.

Always gives me a chuckle when you get some geniuses in the comments screeching about how their 70s/80s/90s Camry (or whatever, but let's be real here it's usually a Toyota product) was hot shit when even showroom new it was incredibly rough by modern standards.

Beloved by bands and bank robbers, the Ford Transit turns 60

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