Employing around 13,000 at seven locations, Ford Motor Company Ltd has been British car market leader for over 30 consecutive years.

The Southampton-built Ford Transit, engineered at Ford's UK product development HQ in Essex, has led the commercial vehicle sector for 43 successive years.

Ford's Dunton product development centre, near Basildon, also works on future powertrains (engines/transmissions), which are produced at the company's Dagenham and Bridgend plants.

The Ford Focus has been the UK's top selling car every year since launched in 1998. Joining Focus in the country's top three favourite cars is the Ford Fiesta.