By William Byrd
The Ford “Supervan” has decades of history behind it, we already showed you Carfection’s video of the iconic vans. My most recent encounter was winning one on a super wheelspin in Forza Horizon 4, but the Supervan dates back to 1971.
Supervan 3
Ford UK built these crazy vans as a series of promotional vehicles, the most recent being Supervan 3. The 2004 iteration was built on a race car chassis with a mid-mounted Ford-Cosworth 650 hp F1 engine.
Supervan 2
Supervan 2 hails from 1984 and was also powered by an F1-inspired engine, this time a Cosworth 3.9 DFL engine, derived from the DFV used in F1.
Supervan 1
In my opinion, the best of the lot was the original from 1971. Ford took a standard pressed-steel Mark 1 Transit body shell and mounted to a GT40 chassis. That was all powered by a 435 hp Gurney-Weslake V8 Ford and a five-speed transaxle ZF gearbox. What you got was an amazing V8-powered mid-engine van that was magically quick around a track. Take a look, some great footage posted by Goodwood is below, this thing is an amazing part of motoring history.
So Hooniverse, what is your favorite fast van?
Jeff Glucker
https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/matchbox/images/f/f9/Ford_Supervan_II_%28MB166%29.JPG
I know the original Supervan is cooler, but I have the Matchbox copy of Supervan II (in much rougher shape), so it’s my favourite of the three.
Maybe it is the era I grew up in; but to me that is the definitive ‘Transit’ and the coolest Supervan.
Plus: NACA ducts for the win!
That was always one of my favorite Matchbox cars.
Oh God, I had that too! I only remember it now! Where is it?? :((
Mine? Tucked away in my big box of old toy cars in storage.
No, where’s mine?? 🙁
That’s pretty awesome.
I would absolutely love the GT40-based Supervan I, but it’s likely not within my budget to acquire or maintain properly.
Gus Mahon had well under five figures into Mean Mini. Seems do-able.
http://www.gusmahon.org/html/Mini.htm
http://www.gusmahon.org/images/burn4.jpeg
Even 16 years after the last one, it has the intended impact on me: Well done, Ford! When an idea that is equal parts stupid, hilarious and downright fantastic gets officially sanctioned, it makes me confident that this company has the right people working on designing vehicles.
I pity the fool who doesn’t appreciate a good van!
Ford could do it again. Get a GT40 and put a SUV body on it.
They still make the transit..
I was thinking for the US market but this was for the British market.
Pretty plausible. The GT has a 107″ wheelbase and the Transit Connect, both short wheelbase cargo and passenger versions, have a 104.8″ wheelbase. That would be pretty cool.
Though not an official ‘Ford Supervan’, I think there should be an honourable mention for Don Law’s Ford Transit with a Jaguar XJ220 engine.
https://cdn-1.motorsport.com/static/img/mgl/1000000/1000000/1008000/1008400/1008447/s8/vintage-goodwood-festival-of-speed-2010-1993-ford-transit-xj220-powered-justin-law.jpg
https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_fit,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_470/18awztet1quatjpg.jpg https://jalopnik.com/speedy-delivery-the-ford-transit-connect-x-press-225660