► Ford is bringing back the SuperVan
► One-off performance Transit at FOS
► Based on new E-Transit Custom
Ford is reviving the legendary SuperVan for only the fourth time ever, with the latest version to make an appearance at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed. There’s a twist though – instead of getting a monstrous F1 V8 or similar, this one is going to be 100 per cent electric.
There are few details just yet – we’ll have to wait until the SuperVan appears at FOS on Thursday 23 June for the full lowdown – but Ford has confirmed a couple of tantalising teasers.
Battery power and loads of it
The first is that this will be the first all-electric SuperVan, as Ford Pro has teamed up with Ford Performance to showcase just what an EV can do.
Where previous examples of the SuperVan have taken a Transit and popped something big and noisy under the bonnet, expect this one to be somewhat quieter but probably even faster.
What’s more, this one is set to represent the new Transit Custom, and is ‘inspired’ by the recently revealed next-generation electric version of this current bestseller.
What’s a SuperVan?
There have been three SuperVans in the past, and they have all been bonkers explorations of what can be done when you start mucking about under the skin of the most sensible and practical vehicle that Ford makes – the Transit.
This isn’t just about installing a very fast engine, either. The first SuperVan (above) appeared in 1971 and was basically a GT40 chassis with a van bodyshell popped on the top. For good measure, it then added a 4.0-litre V8 into the mix.
The second-generation SuperVan (above) came in 1984 and used a C100 Group C chassis with a Cosworth racing engine.
This then evolved to the SuperVan 3 (above) in 1994, which deployed the same chassis and a 295hp 3.0-litre supercharged V6 Cosworth engine. This was good for 150mph and it wasn’t afraid to do it either.
This version has previously appeared at Goodwood, too.
So the new one will be driveable too?
Yep, Ford has confirmed that the latest SuperVan will indeed be taking on the famous Goodwood hillclimb at FOS 2022.
In between charging up the hill it’ll then be recharging in the main paddock so festival-goers will be able to get up close and see just what sort of ridiculous bodykit it has been decorated with.
‘Since 1971, Ford SuperVans have been about exploring what is possible with Transit and pushing the boundaries of performance,’ said global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, Mark Rushbrook. ‘The new Ford Pro Electric SuperVan ushers in a whole new era of possibilities with an electrified powertrain and the enhanced connectivity of our new, all-electric E-Transit Custom.’
More soon.