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Where Are Ford Transits Made? (Solved & Explained)

If you’re searching for a well-appointed van that delivers the goods, the Ford Transit is what you desire.

This model has enough power and cargo space as rivals, but is even more efficient. The Transit’s reliability and several high-tech systems only add to its appeal.

You may want to know where the Transit vans come from, as part of your pre-purchase process.

This article answers the question “where are Transits produced?” Let’s get started.

Where Are Transits Made?

Being a model sold worldwide, the Ford Transit is produced at several factories across Europe and North America. Ford’s factory in Kocaeli, Turkey, manufactures the Transit models for the European and the Asian market.

Conversely, Ford builds the Transit models for its North American and South American market in Claycomo, Missouri, USA.

The Transit Connect, a smaller sibling to the bigger Transit, is produced in Almussafes, Valencia, Spain.

Before, Ford made the Transit Connect at the Kocaeli, Turkey factory.

Are Transits for the U.S. Market Produced in the U.S.?

The Transit launched in the US in 2015, although it had been in production in Europe for years.

The US-market Transit is assembled at the Kansas City Assembly in the U.S.A.

Located in the heart of Claycomo, Missouri, the Kansas City Assembly measures around 4.7 million square feet.

It is the biggest automotive factory in the U.S., making it suitable for building the high-volume Transit models.

That said, Ford has continued to import the Transit Connect into the US.

It imported the first-generation models from Turkey, and then the current generation from Spain.

Are They Being Assembled in the U.S.?

Ford produces Transit parts and assembles the models in the United States — at least those sold to American buyers.

This practice dates back to 2014 when the Transit first launched in the US, after decades of production abroad.

The only Transit model not assembled in the US is the compact Transit Connect van. Ford assembles this model in Spain and sells it on the American market.

Please also read our article about driving the Ford Transit in snow and winter.

How Can You Check Where a Specific Transit Was Produced?

To know production details of a particular Transit model, we recommend that you examine its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

The VIN is a code containing 17 characters that reveal certain information about your vehicle.

For instance, the first character in your vehicle’s VIN is the World Manufacturer Index that represents the country that produced your vehicle. If your Transit was assembled in the US, it would have a number — either 1, 4, or 5 — as its WMI code.

The WMI on Transits manufactured in Europe is usually a letter. For instance, the WMI for Transits made in Turkey is ‘T’, and that of Spain is ‘S’.

You can also know what factory assembled your Transit by getting the Plant Code specified in the VIN.

The plant code is the 11th number or letter in the VIN.

As an example, the plant code for Transits made in the Kansas City Assembly is ‘K’.

You’ll have to get your hands on the complete list of Ford plant codes if you plan to use this method.

Are Japanese or European-Built Transits Better?

Currently, Ford does not produce the Transit models in Japan, but it produces them in Europe.

So, we can hardly make comparisons of any sort as suggested in the opening question.

Make sure to also read our article about how long Ford Transits last.

Where Is the Ford Transit Designed?

Transit development has been undertaken for many years at Dunton, UK. According to Wikipedia, as of November 2019, Dunton had around 4,000 staff working at the site.

Where Are Transits Made for the Australia Market?

Any Ford Transit available for sale on the Australian market likely comes from the Ford factory in Kocaeli, Turkey.

This plant is where the American carmaker assembles Transit vans for its Asian market, which includes Australia.

Where Are Transits Made for the Canada Market?

The North American market Transit models pass through the Kansas City Assembly before eventual distribution.

From this, it’s obvious that the Transits offered to Canadian buyers originate from the Kansas City Assembly in the USA.

However, you must know that Ford’s factory in Valencia, Spain, is the only plant manufacturing the Transit Connect.

Therefore, Transit Connects for the Canadian market come from Spain.

Where Are Transits Made for the UK Market?

As with other European countries, the UK market gets its Transit models from the Ford factory in Kocaeli, Turkey.

At some point, Ford used to manufacture Transits in the UK but moved production to Turkey, because of cheaper labor costs.

If you’re buying a Transit Connect, then it likely comes from Spain, as that’s the only place where Ford builds the vehicle.

Also read our article on 11 Ford Transit statistics you should know.

Is Ford Planning to Move Its Production?

Ford hasn’t mentioned plans to move production of the Transit or the Transit Connect.

However, the American manufacturer has announced its intention to start production of an all-electric Transit van in the US.

2023 Update:

You can see more about the electric Transit here.

Interestingly, Ford guestimates 40% fewer scheduled maintenance costs on the electric van. We have more here on why and how electric vehicles require maintenance.

Is Ford Hiring or Firing in the U.S.?

Ford has laid off around 7,000 of its US workforce recently, in line with a wide-ranging restructuring program.

It also announced in 2020 that it would lay off an additional 1,400 workers as part of its cost-cutting efforts.

However, some Ford factories in the US are still hiring, albeit on a small scale.

Is Ford an American Company?

For decades, Ford has been one of the most recognizable American car companies in the world.

Founded in the early 1900s, Ford is one of the oldest car manufacturers in the US.

And it continues to bolster its image as a true American brand by investing billions of dollars into its US operations.

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