Open and shut case for new Ford Transit testing 06 June 2012

Ford is reporting that engineers developing the Transit Custom slammed the van's doors more than 550,000 times to make sure that it can withstand day-to-day usage.

Transit Custom's front doors were shut 250,000 times, the sliding side door 150,000 times, and the rear cargo door 150,000 times at a test facility where temperatures range from -40°C to 82°C, with 85% humidity.

The 250,000 front door slams compare to 84,000 slams delivered by the equivalent car test – reflecting the greater frequency of door-use and tougher treatment of working vans, according to Barry Gale, Ford's chief commercial vehicle engineer, based at the Dunton Technical Centre, in Essex.

"This is a modern-day torture test – more than half-a-million slams in everything from tropical heat to Arctic cold," he says.

The 550,000 door-slam test is just one of a range of test procedures Ford has used to make sure the vehicle further enhances Transit's reputation for reliability.

Author
John Challen

Related Companies
Ford Motor Co Ltd

This material is protected by MA Business copyright
See Terms and Conditions.
One-off usage is permitted but bulk copying is not.
For multiple copies contact the sales team.