FORD

Ford SuperVan 4: 1900 hp boosted with 100 hp more

For Ford, the SuperVan family, which is now in its 4th generation, is an institution. They evolve in terms of chassis, bodywork and mechanics, but they continue to be a kind of Transit with a lot of gym and an even greater dose of steroids, with the power level increasing almost exponentially. The latest version of the SuperVan appeared in 2022, but Ford has now introduced the 4.2, which added another 100 graceful horsepower to the initial 1900 hp, making it 2000 hp with which it attempted to beat the Top Gear circuit record.

The first SuperVan appeared in 1971. It resembled a 1st generation Transit with dual wheels and mounted a naturally aspirated V8 engine with 400 hp, for 1984 to be the year of the SuperVan 2, which opted for a Cosworth DFL 4.0 F1 engine, with 600 hp of power. The 1994 SuperVan 3 was the last to use a combustion engine, initially the 3.5 Cosworth HB, also from F1 and with 650 hp. And in 2022, the first electric super Transit was born, the SuperVan 4.

The SuperVan 4 began operating in 2022 with four electric motors, each associated with its wheel, together delivering 1400 kW, or 1900 hp. Powering the four electric units was a small battery with a capacity of 50 kWh, which allowed it to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than 2 seconds and, at racing pace, cover around 50 km. Later, Ford introduced some changes to the SuperVan 4, which was renamed 4.2, with the most obvious difference, besides the decoration, being the increase in power to 1470 kW, around 2000 hp.

In the timed lap of the Top Gear track, the Ford SuperVan 4.2 was clocked in 1 minute and 5.3 seconds, which leaves road-going supercars an eternity behind, such as the McLaren 720S GT3X, recording 1.07.2, the Pagani Zonda R (1.08.5), the Aston Martin DBR9 (1.08.6), the Caparo T1 (1.10.6), the Ferrari FXX (1.10.7), the Koenigsegg Jesko Attack (1.10.9) and the Ferrari SF90 Stradale ( 1.11,3).

This “Transit” 4.2 is behind only two F1s, the 2004 Renault R24, equipped with a 3.0 V10 that delivers 900 hp at 19,000 rpm, which is the fastest on the track with just 59 seconds, and the Lotus T125 (1.03, 8 ), a modern single-seater, but designed as if it were a cheap F1, still equipped with a 3.8 Cosworth GPV8 engine. Watch the Top Gear video below.

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