Ford will deliver more than 550 Ford Transit Custom and Courier vans to the AA, maintaining its 50 per cent share of the motoring organisation’s distinctive 3,000-vehicle fleet.

The bulk of the AA’s order is for Ford Transit Custom, with around 400 being fitted by Ambrosetti UK with the AA’s new recovery trailer system, heavy duty electrical systems, special equipment racking and the organisation’s trademark yellow livery.

In one of the largest orders to date for the recently launched Ford Transit Courier, the AA is taking 70 examples for use by agents selling memberships across the UK.

A further 70 Ford Transit Custom models are equipped as AA Battery Assist vehicles which carry a wide range of replacement batteries and offer a 24/7 roadside fitment service for AA members. There will also be nine Ford Transit Customs kitted out as AA Fuel Assist vehicles, on call to members who have misfuelled their car.

This year’s order takes the AA’s total delivery of Ford Transit Custom models to almost 850 in the two years since the van was launched. It’s a popular choice among the AA’s technicians: “Ford Transit Custom is very well received,” says AA commercial vehicle fleet engineer, Chris Wiltshire. “Technicians like the working space, the cab and driving position, and we like it for the best load area in class, enhanced towing capacity and very good whole-life costs.”

James Powell, Ford direct sales business manager, said: “This order further strengthens the ties between Ford and the AA, as Ford already has a long-running arrangement to supply 2,000 cars annually to the AA Driving School.

“We are pleased that the AA finds the Ford Transit Custom and Ford Transit Courier ideal for its needs, a cost-effective purchase and a valuable addition to its fleet of vehicles, many of which are doing vital work to help motorists stranded at the roadside.”