Broken Dreams: Ford Supervans. Superfast Deliveries

Try to imagine the starting grid of a Grand Prix filled entirely with familiar vans transformed into racing machines! How cool would it be to see them flying around the circuit at over 250 km/h? Even better if there was a delivery waiting at the finish line, with bets placed on who would receive their package first!

Okay, we’re joking—well, only a little—because as you know, passion and madness often go hand in hand. Ford proved this in 1971 when it brought a Transit van to Brands Hatch, complete with wide wheels and a full race setup. What was it all about? You’d never guess, but underneath lay nothing less than a GT40, complete with its floorplan and a 400 hp V8 engine.

The 1971 Ford Supervan with 400 hp and GT40 mechanics demanded the bravest of drivers.

These were the years when, in addition to dominating Anglo-American sports prototypes, Ford also ruled Formula 1 with its V8 Ford Cosworth DFV engine. The idea was spot on: the Supervan gave Ford more publicity than even winning a Grand Prix could. As a result, they decided to push the project further. In 1984, they took it up a notch: built on the floorplan of the Ford C100 Group C and powered by a Cosworth DFL V8, a composite monocoque with several aerodynamic additions came to life. Its name? The Transit Mark 2. A massive leap in performance: 280 km/h in a vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick!

Ford's 1984 Supervan 2 did not hide its intentions: the large side air intakes revealed the presence of a V8 that propelled it to 280 km/h.

Ten years later, in 1995, the third iteration of the Supervan series arrived. This time, Ford pushed beyond all logic, installing the very same Formula 1 engine developed by Cosworth for Benetton. The thing was so terrifying, it seemed nearly undrivable.

Ready to place your bets? With beasts like these, your ice cream will always arrive before it melts, and your pizza will stay hot!

1995 Ford Supervan 3: a Formula 1 disguised as a pickup truck. The Benetton F1 powertrain made it so difficult to handle that it needed a power reduction.