Carried out at Ford’s facilities in Lommel, Belgium, and in Romeo, Michigan, the testing (see here for video) has included corrosive salt and mud-baths, non-stop driving for two months at top speed and continuous figure-of-eight manoeuvres for a month.

The durability tests included the equivalent of driving 11 million kilometres – or 275 round-the-world trips – at state-of-the-art proving grounds and in extreme conditions across the globe where temperatures ranged from +40 to -40 deg C.

‘I don’t think many customers would believe what this vehicle has been through,’ said David Gregory, Transit chief programme engineer, Ford of Europe. ‘We inflict the worst possible treatment that a van could endure, and we’re only satisfied when our new vehicle comes through with flying colours – just as the Transit has done.’

Ford has made more than 100 significant improvements to the Transit as a direct result of its testing regime including the redesign of the side rail on jumbo van models, and strengthening of the rear cross-member on chassis cabs.

‘Pushing the van to the limit and beyond helps us to deliver a stronger, more robust product. This translates directly into every-day reliability for the customer, however tough their working environment,” Gregory added.

The new two-tonne Transit is now on sale in the UK and across Europe alongside the Transit Custom, Transit Connect and Transit Courier models.