Ford A series

The Ford A series was a range of light trucks that Ford UK built at its Langley plant in Berkshire from 1973 to 1983. Ford saw a gap between the small Transit and the larger D series for vehicles of 3.5 to 5.5 tonnes gross weight and marketed the A series as Ford's Go-Between. A 1967 study of the 3.5 to 6.3 tonne sector led to a decision in 1970, development began in early 1971, and the range made its public debut at the 1973 Frankfurt Motor Show before going on sale in Britain on 13 September 1973. The cab shared panels with the Transit, but the chassis was a separate frame and never a monocoque. More than 350 basic variants covered different wheelbases, weights, engines and bodies, with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder and a 3.5-litre six-cylinder diesel and a 2-litre V4 and 3.0-litre V6 petrol. It sold relatively well in France and West Germany, as intended, but in smaller numbers in Britain, and production ended in July 1983.