Ford took a Transit Van and then scrapped nearly everything beside the name to create SuperVan 4.2. This version of the iconic race van debuted at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2022, but really made its mark at the 101st Pikes Peak International Hillclimb, on Sunday, June 25, 2023.
The iconic race up the mountain covers 12.5 miles of pavement, around 156 turns, while gaining 4,725 feet of elevation.
The SuperVan 4.2 is a 1,400-horsepower three-motor AWD electric race vehicle. Not only does it have massive aero, which can create 4,400 pounds of downforce, but it also features loads of carbon fiber body parts, carbon ceramic brakes, magnesium-forged wheels, and full race tires.
Behind the wheel of this insane Ford Transit van for the Pikes Peak race in 2023 was Romain Dumas. He is the current overall record holder — the fastest ever up the Pikes Peak Hillclimb. He set the record in 2018, with a time of 7 minutes, 57 seconds in the electric VW I.D. racecar.
Ford’s target for the SuperVan 4.2 in 2023 was a time under 9 minutes, and the overall win. They crushed the 9-minute goal, got the Open Class record, but ended up in second overall for the year — with a time of 8:47. Robin Shute got the Pikes Peak Hillclimb win in 2023 piloting his custom Wolf racecar with a time of 8:40.
