Car Spotlight>> Supervan 3

Technically this isn't quite a car spotlight but checking under the available categories it would appear we don't have a van spotlight so car spotlight it is ! Actually, it's not too far off a car despite it's rather generous proportions. Originally built as Supervan 2 in 1984, the van is actually based on a Ford C100 race car chassis with a scaled down MKIII Transit body dropped on top.

When it debuted in 1984, it was powered by a 590BHP Ford Cosworth DFL engine, a longer stroke version of the famous DFV F1 engine. Some say it was powered by a Ford HB F1 engine but the HB wasn't around until circa. 1988/89. It could of course been powered by the HB engine at one stage or another but it definitely wasn't unveiled in 1984 with it (That is of course unless one Dr. Emmett Brown was working on the project …)

Obviously it wasn't practical to run an F1 engined van at events so the DFL was eventually replaced by a much more reliable and easily maintained Ford Cosworth Pro Sports 3000 V6 engine and unveiled as the new Supervan 3 in 1995. It also was also at this time it received the MKIII Transit shell.

Although it's some 400 horsepower short of it's DFL engined parent, Supervan 3 still only weighs in at around 890KGs and with 250HP is still capable of a top speed of 150MPH. Back in it's Supervan 2 days, it was capable of lapping Silverstone at an average speed of 108MPH with a maximum top speed of 185MPH.

The traditional Transit of three seats has been replaced with a centre driving position and room for one lucky passenger.

Brembo brakes with carbon discs hide behind the wheels.

A side vent helps the Cosworth V6 to breathe.

Here you can see that the V6 is perfectly midmounted with not a whole lot of company back here.

The Supervan lineage was continued with Ford's World Rally Transit in 2001 although it was quite tame compared to it's predecessors. Sadly, only Supervan 3 remains with Supervan 1 having long since vanished off the map. I can imagine if it's sitting in someones shed somewhere, I at least hope they realise what they have …

I wonder will Ford ever consider a proper successor to Supervan 3 ?


Paddy McGrath



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Nice Post!

To me, This is the second most craziest Van after Renault Espace F1


I like this white Sierra in the background on the first photo.


That's a really cool feature...somethin different that I've always been curious about. Would be cool to learn more about the earlier/nastier versions sometime.


In all honesty I'm not sure of what to make of this. lol


I can't believe they have some crappy 250 bhp v6 in there now. What a shame. I think a feature on the Renault Espace F1 should be in the future


some time ago was still espace

confrontation could do both of these cars


I have a website about it


Cooler than that would be the Renault Espace F1...check out the youtube clips


Cooler than that would be the Renault Espace F1[2]


That last question mark should be a period :P


It definatley had the HB engine when Supervan 3 came out first (1995), as a response to the Espace F1.


damn it's cool!

i want a wallpaper with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Isn't there another Transit on a XJ220 chassis at the Goodwood Estate!


I hope ford europe makes another super van, but they dont really have the means for a race van. what big name racing series are they in over the pond that would provide a power plant for such a thing? a wrc focus a van?


LS180 there sure is one, it was recently featured in the ashes episode of top gear, it was fully loaded with the xj220 running gear and what not, it just didnt have all the aero junk like supervan 2-3.