Ford is working on new variations of the Transit, which went on UK sale in March, in anticipation of an explosion in internet shopping.

Barry Gale, Transit project manager, believes the growth in e-commerce will create a need for a new type of delivery vehicle in urban areas that is better suited to domestic delivery operations.

“The challenge for us is to come up with the optimum package - and we're already thinking about how the next versions will satisfy this specific requirement,” he told delegates at the International Automotive Conference in Sunderland.

Ford believes internet shopping will lead to rapid growth in home deliveries. This will need a more sophisticated type of van capable of making multi-drop deliveries far more efficiently.

European van specialist LDV is also looking for ways to utilise the internet and plans to offer a special edition Cub van on www.cubdirect.com, an extension of its internet website www.ldv.co.uk

The special edition Cub comes with a three-year, 60,000-mile manufacturer warranty and features include power steering, central locking and tinted glass.