Ford provided a 16-seat, 2.4-litre 140PS Transit minibus in February this year to transport the team 1,800 miles to Arjeplog in northern Sweden to take part in an extreme-weather training exercise where the team was finalised and much of the kit for the expedition was tested.
The team will be dropped by ship on the Pacific coast of Antarctica and will set off across the ice-shelf on 21 March 2013, crossing terrain where the temperatures can sink to -90 degrees C.
Sir Ranulph (pictured in the foreground) said: "The Transit van operated without a hitch in some tough conditions and ensured we were able to get to and from Arjeplog for our training. Its help is greatly appreciated."
Ford say the Transit has been engineered to provide years of reliable service, no matter how harsh the operating conditions.
