ALL-NEW 2015 FORD TRANSIT JOINS THE CAST OF HISTORY'S HIT SERIES 'AMERICAN PICKERS'

April 29, 2014 by Ford

◾2015 Ford Transit joins the cast of 'American Pickers' on the episode airing April 30 at 9 p.m. EDT/PDT on History

◾The durability and cargo hauling capability of Transit fit the needs of 'American Pickers' as the cast crosses the country in search of forgotten relics and antiques

◾487 cubic feet of cargo volume offers ample space to transport big finds

◾Ford is celebrating by launching a scavenger hunt across the U.S., giving 10 lucky winners the use of a 2015 Transit for two weeks

Ford Transit is joining History 'American Pickers' as stars Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz travel around the United States, searching remote and rustic locations for classic gems that can be restored and resold.

Wolfe and Fritz will drive a 2015 Transit, a full-size van designed for commercial use, in their mission to find these relics.

'The biggest thing is, when the van is full, then we've got to come home. I'm interested in real estate on wheels,' Wolfe says during the episode airing April 30. 'There were four or five different vehicles I was looking at, and I just keep coming back to the Ford as the better choice.'

'American Pickers' will use the largest Transit model – with a long wheelbase, extended body and high roof – featuring the Ford 3.2-liter Power Stroke five-cylinder diesel engine.

The show is just one example of how Ford Transit serves the needs of small businesses and commercial fleets.

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To celebrate the debut of Transit on 'American Pickers,' Ford is hosting a scavenger hunt that challenges contestants to find one of 10 scale-model Transit vehicles on display in antique shops across the United States. The 10 winners get the use of a 2015 Transit for two weeks. (Visit http://social.ford.com/winTransit for details.)

'We are thrilled to expand the great multi-year relationship we have with Ford, said Peter Olsen, executive vice president of national ad sales for History. 'We look forward to the Transit being part of Pickers for many years to come.'

The 2015 model year Transit – built at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant – will be available in three body lengths, two wheelbases and three roof heights; in van, wagon, chassis cab and cutaway body styles; and in XL and XLT trim levels, offering more choices than ever from a Ford commercial vehicle.

The high-roof Transit – with best-in-class 81.5 inches of interior height – provides enough headroom for a person 6 feet 8 inches tall to stand upright in the cargo area. In some configurations, Transit offers as much as much as 75 percent more volume than the largest E-Series, saving customers the fuel costs and time associated with having to make a second trip.

'Transit has been tested to rigorous Built Ford Tough standards, and comes equipped with great technology features like SYNC with MyFord Touch, and Lane Departure Alert System,' said Minyang Jiang, Ford brand manager for Transit, Transit Connect and E-Series. ''American Pickers' fits in with the spirit of the Transit family as vehicles people can rely on to get the job done.'

The van used on 'American Pickers' will feature an available rear-view camera and reverse park aid.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 181,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

About History Channel

HISTORY®, now reaching more than 98 million homes, is the leading destination for award-winning original series and specials that connect viewers with history in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across all platforms. The network's all-original programming slate, including scripted event programming, features a roster of hit series including American Pickers®, American Restoration™, Ax Men™, The Legend of Shelby the Swamp Man, Counting Cars™, Pawn Stars®, Mountain Men and Swamp People® as well as HISTORY®'s first scripted series Vikings, and epic miniseries and special programming such as The Bible and the Emmy® Award-winning Hatfields & McCoys, the Emmy Award-winning The Men Who Built America, Gettysburg, Vietnam in HD, America The Story of Us® and 102 Minutes That Changed America. The HISTORY® website is the leading online resource for all things history, and in 2011, the United States Library of Congress selected HISTORY®'s Civil War 150 site for inclusion in the historic collection of Internet materials related to the American Civil War sesquicentennial. www.history.com. For more press information and photography, please visit us at http://press.aenetworks.com.