Ford Transit Supervan - King of Delivery van!

Ford Transit is commonly known as a commercial vehicle - a delivery van, an ambulance, or a firetruck. The original idea of the creators was to make a vehicle for everyone - from a simple farmer to a wealthy businessman. The multiplicity of versions and applications was primarily of use. At first no one expected that a Transit for racing could be created. The reality was different and Supervan was created.

Ford Transit Supervan I

Ford began investing in racing sports around 1962. Entry into the next decade brought even more financial outlay for the motosport. An appropriate form of advertising was sought, which could be presented during demonstration trips. As the Ford Transit has been one of the most important models in the global market, and no one has ever attempted to develop a sport version of the commercial vehicle – Ford made the very first step. The concept is commonly known as Supervan. Creation of a sport van commissioned by Terry Drury Racing. Its debut was at Easter in 1971 at the British Brands Hatch.

Standard suspension is replaced by a frame made of tubular profiles. The paper project itself was never created. Potential ideas were scribbled on the floor. The elements were placed in the right places, and then the whole was welded or cut to give the final shape. The vehicle needed a special suspension. Thus, the Jaguar XJ6 components were found on the front, and the factory rear was replaced by Cooper F1 parts. The helpless steering gear was originally in the GT40 Ford. The 15-inch "Revolution" wheels had equal width on the front and on the back. As a result, the vehicle had good traction. It was characteristic to float one of the front wheels while entering the sharp corner. Can-Am racing disc brakes were also installed. The engine was powered by a V8 5.0 with 435KM Gurney-Weslake. In order to fit it in the vehicle it was necessary to cut a hole in the floor. The highest recorded speed was about 240 km / h.

In 1978 a visual change was made, called "Mark 2". Frequent appearances at the shows and relatively expensive parts caused the legend to fall into the shadow. The new version debuted 13 years later.

Ford Transit Supervan II

The next model was created by Auto Racing Technology of Woolaston. Former Ford Motorsport boss returned after a few years with the idea of reactivating cult van. The truth is that this vehicle with the original Ford Transit had only similar body shape. The body is made of aluminum frame and carbon fiber. The chassis was derived from the discontinued Ford C100. Front wheels were 11.5 inches wide and 14 inches rear. The engine was a Ford Cosworth DFL V8 Endurance, with a capacity of 3.9 liters. Supervan 2 achieved the power of 590 horsepower at 9,250 revolutions per minute. The distinctive lateral inlets and rear recesses formed the way to the two air tunnels that increased the grip of the vehicle.

The idea remained the same - auto for advertising, shows and fun on the tracks across Europe. The first presentation of the wider public took place in 1984. Later the vehicle was an icon of all stages of the British Grand Prix. When the Cosworth engines were withdrawn - the second supervan was appropriately secured and garaged for use in the future. The highest recorded speed is about 283 km / h. Interestingly, the driver of both: Supervan I and Supervan II was Chris Craft, who worked in the Ford. He starting his job from the messenger!

Ford Transit Supervan III

Van was refreshed on the occasion of the launch of the fifth generation of Transit. A garage supervan II was used. It was 10% smaller than the Ford Transit mk5, but it was perfect for promotional purposes. The construction of the van corresponded to Ford's British division, which decided to put on the 650-hp Cosworth, a unit known primarily from Formula One cars. The van went through red-blue color changes to return to primary colors in 2004. However, the engine was changed. The Ford-Cosworth Sixth Ford was launched in 1991 with a maximum output of 264 hp. The vehicle weighed less than 900 kg, which is a really impressive result for such a size.

The maximum speed of this vehicle can be a surprise. As long as the vehicle was built on a previous version, the performance was lower. The highest recorded and documented speed was 243 km / h. It is still an impressive result, however, leaving a dose of deficiency.

Ford Transit Supervan IV ?

Does Ford plan to recreate the famous supervan series? Maybe we will see the release with next generation of Ford Transit vans? Or does any of the existing concepts deserve this title? This time the baton was taken over by private enthusiasts, including Us! As a result, the world's first Drift Bus was created! The V8 propulsion system is a bow to the first of the supervan families.