The all-electric Ford SuperVan 4.2 has had a record-breaking 12 months, to say the least. Last summer, with Romain Dumas at the helm, it took on Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the Open category. Despite some issues during the test runs, the modified Transit van completed the 12.5-mile (20.1km) mountainous climb in under nine minutes, smashing the previous class record by 37 seconds.
In February this year, the van conquered Mount Panorama in Australia, breaking three lap records (fastest electric vehicle, fastest commercial vehicle and fastest closed-wheel vehicle) with a 1m56.32s lap time. Next, it raced to the top of Goodwood?s famous hillclimb course in 43.98s, winning the 2024 Festival of Speed shootout by over two seconds.
So how has Ford transformed its Pro E-Transit Custom van into a 2000bhp+ hillclimb monster"
Ford has been developing its SuperVan promotional vehicle concept since 1971. The first iteration, SuperVan 1, was a crude affair, combining a Ford GT40 chassis and its mid-mounted, 5.0-litre Ford V8 engine, with the factory steel bodywork of a Mk1 Transit van.
In 1984, SuperVan 2 came along, this time built using the chassis from a Ford C100 Group C car and a Cosworth DFL engine, all hidden under a glass fibre representation of a Mk2 Transit, with added aerodynamic enhancements.
A decade later, to promote the Mk3 Transit, SuperVan 2 was converted into SuperVan 3, this time using a 3.5-litre Cosworth HB V8 and a reduced scale silhouette body.
2022...