Born from a boast, the idea of wheeling a Ford Transit van around the Nürburgring in a hurry might seem both bold and ridiculous, but it became a mission for Ford Performance engineers. The manifestation of that vision is the Ford Transit SuperVan 4.2, a purpose-built electric vehicle packing a 2,000-horsepower punch. Its résumé already includes Bathurst records and a Pikes Peak victory. Its latest achievement is a blistering lap around the Nürburgring.

To put that into context, it means that the Transit SuperVan 4.2 is faster than a Porsche 911 GT3RS and the Chevrolet ZR1X… — Michael Norton, Ford Performance

“…Our electric vehicle demonstrator program has become an integral part of our broader Ford Performance racing portfolio, and for good reason. It is here that we can give our super-talented engineers, designers, and aerodynamicists a clean sheet of paper and tell them to dream big,” Michael Norton, F1 and Demonstrators Program Manager, explained. “This is our chance to see what is possible far beyond any rulebooks for any race series. Here, we can explore the boundaries of what is possible, all with the aim of bringing these learnings back into both our race programs and our road programs…”

Weighing in at 400 pounds lighter than its predecessors, the SuperVan 4.2 took on the Nürburgring with F1 driver Romain Dumas behind the wheel. He piloted it to the ninth fastest lap around the famed and daunting course. (Photo Credit: Ford Performance)

While the results of those learns its yet to be fully apparent to those outside the Blue Oval, the results of the engineering exercise put forth with the latest SuperVan is a blistering lap around the Nordschleife that not only made it the fastest van around the storied track but placed it in the Top 10 vehicles that have lapped the Green Hell.

“…In the hands of the remarkable Romain Dumas, SuperVan 4.2 was able to post an incredible time of 6:48.393, which makes it the ninth-fastest vehicle ever to complete a timed lap of the Nürburgring,” Norton said. “To put that into context, it means that the Transit SuperVan 4.2 is faster than a Porsche 911 GT3RS and the Chevrolet ZR1X. Now, to be fair, this is a bespoke race car with slick tires and 2,000 horsepower, but even so, that makes this one seriously quick Transit!”

Motivated by three electric motors powered by a liquid-cooled, 50 kWh lithium-polymer nickel manganese cobalt pouch cell battery. It generates 2,040 horsepower, which helped Dumas push it to a 6:48.393-minute lap — the fastest ever by a van. (Photo Credit: Ford Performance)

The SuperVan is a fast machine indeed, but it might not be the last electric demonstrator to make a statement on the ’Ring, as the SuperVan’s cousin, the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck, was on the Green Hell at the same time, but that story remains untold for the moment…