Ford Transit Supervan 3

[altezza]

FORD'S 150MPH TRANSIT SUPERVAN 3 HITS THE TRACKS AGAIN

DUNTON, Essex, 16 July, 2004 – The Essex-based Ford Heritage Vehicle Collection has been boosted with the recommissioning of Transit Supervan 3. Originally built 20 years ago when it was known as Supervan 2, this very special Transit with the heart and lungs of a racing car will spearhead a number of activities next year when the company celebrates the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Ford Transit range.

Built on a Ford C100 race car chassis and originally powered by a mid-mounted Ford-Cosworth 650bhp 'HB' F1 engine, Supervan 3 first saw the light of day in 1995 when it was displayed at the motor show in Birmingham. For the next few years, in its unique hand-crafted seven-eighths scale fibreglass body, it was used at special events up and down the country before being 'retired' in 2001 after its appearance at the National Van Show in Brighton, where it was presented in authentic Royal Mail livery.

By then the F1 engine had been replaced for reasons of practicality by a Ford-Cosworth Pro Sports 3000 (V6) engine, which it retain today. Power is transmitted via a Hewland gearbox to the rear wheels.

The top speed of Supervan 3 is estimated at around 150mph with acceleration which would not disgrace many sports supercars. Aerodynamic stability at high speed is aided by a deep front splitter and large rear wing.

The recent re-commissioning work also included returning Supervan 3 to its original 1984 highly distinctive Ford Motorsport paint livery.

"Transit Supervan 3 will play a major role in many of the events we are planning in 2005 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Ford Transit," said Gary Whittham, Ford's director of commercial vehicles.

"It looks fantastic, sounds even better and goes like no other Ford Transit van," he added.

Supervan 3 follows in the famous wheeltracks of Supervans 1 and 2. The original Supervan was produced by Terry Drury Racing and made its debut at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday 1971. It was fitted with a 400 horsepower version of the high-performance 302 cubic inch V8 engine used in Ford's Le Mans-winning GT40 sports cars.

Supervan 2 debuted in 1984, at the Donington Truck Grand Prix, and was the work of Auto Racing Technology of Woolaston. Powered by a Ford-Cosworth DFL engine – the long-stroke version of Ford's famous DFV F1 engine. It was clocked at Silverstone doing 174mph. Ten years later and DRL Engineering of Suffolk undertook a complete re-build of Supervan 2 and, fittingly, it was decided to re-name the vehicle Supervan 3.

This latest recommissioning work was carried out by Sporting and Historic Car Engineers of Bicester in Oxfordshire.

Although Ford has lost contact with Supervan 1, which left the company many years ago, Supervan 3 join another high-performance Transit in the Ford Heritage Vehicle Collection. This is the World Rally Transit, which combines all the features of a load-carrying rally support vehicle with higher performance and rally-car-style interior and exterior. Based on the rear-wheel-drive version of the new-generation Ford Transit, the WRT features a tuned 200bhp version of the Ford Duratorq diesel engine. With its rally-style paintwork and distinctive W1WRT registration number it does rather stand out in the crowd. And rally drivers will feel totally behind the wheel as the seats, steering wheel, intrumentation are from an actual WRC Ford Focus which campaigned in 2001.

SUPERVAN 3

Specification: Ford Transit composite construction body fitted to two-seater monocoque chassis structure and powered by Ford-Cosworth 24 valve 60 degree V6, twin overhead camshafts per bank, four valves per cylinder. Tuned to Pro Sports 3000 specification, including dry sump.

Body length: 4600mm (181 in)

Body width: 1880mm (74in)

Body height 1670mm (66in)

Wheelbase: 2790mm (110in)

Weight: Approx 890kg (1962lb)

Engine:

Capacity: 2935cc

No. of cylinders: Six

Alignment: Longitudinal, 60 degree vee

Power output: Approx 260bhp

Transmission: Five-speed, longitudinally-mounted Hewland

Suspension:
Front: Independent, upper and lower wishbones, fully adjustable coil-over dampers, anti-roll bar

Rear: Independent, upper and lower wishbones, fully adjustable coil-over dampers, anti-roll bar

Brakes:
Front: 279mm (11in) diameter ventilated carbon discs, Brembo four-piston calipers, carbon pads

Rear: 279mm (11in) diameter ventilated carbon discs, Brembo four-piston calipers, carbon pads

Wheels:
Specification: OZ cast magnesium, 10x13in front, 12xs13in rear

Tyres:
Specification: Goodyear Eagle slicks/wets

[blah]

i want one.

[Tomerville]

that sick. the quickest delivery van

[X-ale]

what a waste

[blah]

fedex should order a fleet of these. then you can get your mods in hours not days.

[X-ale]

UPS will come crashing to slow 'em down. Not worth the mods

[ahmedgiyab]

I hope restaurants buy these vans.....so they can deliver my food faster....

[X-ale]

/\/\ LOL, think of a pizza with all the toping in 1 corner of the box. It will not arrive as it was organized for sure, methinks.

[Ford Capri 2.8i]

This monster engined transits are stunning......for instance, the formula 1 engine transit is very similar to the espace F1 launched in 1992 approximately......in addition, apart from the 3 supervan transit, ford launched at the beginning of 1986 a RS200 engined transit decorated in the same way as the RS200 car(and tuned suspensions, brakes...) at the same time as the RS200 was launched to take part in the rallying world championship

[italian_stalion_32]

wat the hell is that, i would be embarrassed to be in that, doesnt matter how fast it is

[possessed_beaver]

Originally Posted by blah fedex should order a fleet of these. then you can get your mods in hours not days.

yeh - could deliver things faster then e-mail.

[imprezaWRC]

Originally Posted by ahmedgiyab I hope restaurants buy these vans.....so they can deliver my food faster....

+1 ,

[rachaderua]

hahaha good ones had never saw that

[neilo63]

Blow up the pos and use ticket sales to buy more explosives for use in their factories :shock: :fist:

[FordGTGuy]

hah that things is kewl. Don't hate guys you don't seem to hate on the Dodge Ram SRT-10