FORD claims already to have taken more than £100 million worth of orders for new Transit which went on sale on March 23. And the company has brushed aside any suggestion that Mercedes-Benz's new Sprinter van will provide any serious competition.

Speaking at a special 35th 'birthday' celebration for Transit held at Blenheim Palace, Robin August, Ford of Britain director of commercial vehicles, said: 'The Mercedes Sprinter is what we would class as a face-lifted model, an intermediate version, whereas we consider new Transit to be a step change in the vehicle's evolution.'

August said that Transit production this year will total around 55,000 units, divided 40/60 between the new and current models.