Ford simply set a brand new private greatest time on the Nürburgring. But it surely wasn’t in a Mustang GTD. As an alternative, the corporate did it in its one-off “SuperVan,” an all-electric, track-only demonstrator based mostly loosely on the Transit. The time of 6:48, set by Romain Dumas, makes the van 4 seconds faster than the Mustang, rating it among the many quickest autos to lap the legendary German circuit.
It isn’t precisely truthful to match the SuperVan 4.2 to highway automobile instances, because the automobile set its lap on full racing slicks. However we’re gonna do it anyway. The time of 6:48.42 makes the Ford faster than the Corvette ZR1X, the present Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ—a former record-holder. The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Sequence—one other former record-holder—is barely half a second faster than the van. The complete lap will be seen within the video beneath.
Ford says it was impressed to set a time by a now-legendary High Gear phase, by which the late Sabine Schmitz, a Nürburgring professional, needed to point out simply how rapidly she might lap the circuit in a lowly Transit van. Ever because the episode’s unique airing in 2005, “taking a Ford Transit to the restrict across the ‘Ring has all the time been a dream for just a few of us,” says Ford’s F1 and demo program supervisor Michael Norton.
“It wasn’t till now that we had the precise Transit, the precise driver, and the precise situations to see what could be doable,” he mentioned.
The SuperVan 4.2 is as excessive as Transit vans get. Although it weighs over 4,400 kilos, the quad-motor configuration used right here delivers an astonishing 2,000 horsepower. Mixed with some funky aero tips, Dumas was capable of seize a category win at Pikes Peak in 2023.
Ford’s received extra in retailer from the Nürburgring going ahead.
“We by no means relaxation. There may be extra to return, not least with the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck that was additionally on the ‘Ring on the identical day,” Norton mentioned. “However for now, we’ll rejoice this achievement, but in addition keep in mind Sabine Schmitz and her half on this superb story.”
