More SuperVans

Yesterday’s item about Ford’s latest SuperVan sparked a lot of interest. More than expected, so here’s some more, particularly for those of more tender years who didn’t know that this most sober and reputable of companies used to get up to some promotional high jinks in the past.

The first of Ford’s SuperVans was the outrageous 1971 Ford GT40 mid-engined Transit Mk1 which three-wheeled its way around the nation’s race circuits like a prancing horse in an Olympic dressage competition. The 4.7 litre V8 produced well in excess of 350 bhp and handled like a forest sprung Mk2 Ford Escort, but with oodles more oomph and sounded even more spectacular than it looked. 

SuperVan 2 was a much more sophisticated track weapon and had a glassfibre Transit Mk2 shaped body grafted on to a Ford C100 sportscar monocoque with a 582 bhp Cosworth V8. 

This vehicle was later re-bodied as the facelifted Transit Mk3 SuperVan 3 powered by a 641 bhp F1 derived Cosworth HB engine.