Hartwell Ford in Abingdon is the first Transit Centre to launch in the UK.

Ford is launching 100 “Transit Centres” across the UK, offering new high-tech showrooms, elevated after sales and service standards and extended opening hours.

The new Transit Centres will provide a cutting-edge environment for Ford to showcase its next generation of commercial vehicles to customers, and will enable the launch of Ford’s Transit24 aftersales programme, announced in February this year, which is aimed at minimising vehicle downtime and reducing whole life costs for commercial vehicle operators.

The 100 Ford sites will be upgraded by the end of 2014 as part of the company’s on-going investment into Britain’s largest dealer network.

Each Transit Centre site employs a dedicated CV sales team as well as Ford-trained technicians and offers specialised workshop equipment, tools and training, and can manage all service, maintenance and warranty work (all Ford CVs come with a 100,000 mile/3 year warranty).

Transit24 will offer while-you-wait servicing to suit the customer, including regular late night appointments, and will respond within 20min to online service booking requests made through the 1Link online booking service. Collection and delivery of vehicles can also be arranged and every vehicle leaves the dealership washed and ready for work.

Jon Wellsman, Ford customer service division director, said:

“The launch of Ford’s new Transit Centre network will provide first class sales, service, maintenance and repair for all of our commercial vehicle operators across the UK. Ford has the largest and widest-spread dealer network in the country, offering a class-leading range of commercial vehicles and technologies and will continue to deliver the best care and assistance to customers.”

The launch of Ford’s Transit Centre network is aligned with the complete transformation of the blue oval’s commercial vehicle range, introducing four new models – Transit Courier, Transit Connect, Transit Custom and Transit – by 2014.