Ford just set a new personal best time at the Nürburgring. But it wasn't in a Mustang GTD. Instead, the company did it in its one-off "SuperVan," an all-electric, track-only demonstrator based loosely on the Transit. The time of 6:48, set by Romain Dumas, makes the van four seconds quicker than the Mustang, ranking it among the quickest vehicles to lap the legendary German circuit.
It's not exactly fair to compare the SuperVan 4.2 to road car times, as the car set its lap on full racing slicks. But we're gonna do it anyway. The time of 6:48.42 makes the Ford quicker than the Corvette ZR1X, the current Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ—a former record-holder. The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series—another former record-holder—is only half a second quicker than the van. The full lap can be seen in the video below.
Ford says it was inspired to set a time by a now-legendary Top Gear segment, in which the late Sabine Schmitz, a Nürburgring pro, wanted to show just how quickly she could lap the circuit in a lowly Transit van. Ever since the episode's original airing in 2005, “taking a Ford Transit to the limit around the ‘Ring has always been a dream for a few of us,” says Ford’s F1 and demo program manager Michael Norton.
"It wasn’t until now that we had the right Transit, the right driver, and the right conditions to see what might be possible," he said.
The SuperVan 4.2 is as extreme as Transit vans get. Though it weighs over 4,400 pounds, the quad-motor configuration used here delivers an astonishing 2,000 horsepower. Combined with some funky aero tricks, Dumas was able to grab a class win at Pikes Peak in 2023.
Ford's got more in store from the Nürburgring going forward.
"We never rest. There is more to come, not least with the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck that was also at the ‘Ring on the same day," Norton said. "But for now, we will celebrate this achievement, but also remember Sabine Schmitz and her part in this amazing story."
