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Ford Performance (NYSE: F) said today that a Ford Transit SuperVan 4.2 – a custom 2000-horsepower electric SuperVan driven by Romain Dumas [not your typical white van man driver – AutoCrat] posted a time of 6:48.393, which makes it the 9th fastest vehicle ever to complete a timed lap of the Nürburgring.*
“Taking a Ford Transit to the limit around the ‘Ring has always been the dream for a few of us at Ford Performance, but it wasn’t until now that we had the right Transit, the right driver and the right conditions to see what might be possible,” said Michael Norton, F1 and Demonstrators program manager at Ford.
“SuperVan 4.2 already holds records at Bathurst and was a winner at Pikes Peak, but there was always one track on our mind – the famous Green Hell – that we wanted to challenge ourselves at,” said Norton.
“But why? Well, 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.
“This is our chance to see what is possible far beyond any rule books for any race series. Here, we can explore the boundaries of what is possible, all with the aim of bringing these learnings back in to both our race programs and our road programs. And it is already bearing fruit for us. I can’t be specific just yet for competitive reasons but suffice to say that a number of our future race programs will see the benefits from vehicles like SuperVan 4.2.
“Of course, we are very proud of our remarkable SuperVan but 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. For now, we will celebrate this achievement and also remember Sabine Schmitz and her part in this amazing story. She will never be forgotten,” said Norton.
AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Annals of Marketing – Ford Transit at Nürburgring?
Click for more.
Ford Performance (NYSE: F) said today that a Ford Transit SuperVan 4.2 – a custom 2000-horsepower electric SuperVan driven by Romain Dumas [not your typical white van man driver – AutoCrat] posted a time of 6:48.393, which makes it the 9th fastest vehicle ever to complete a timed lap of the Nürburgring.*
“Taking a Ford Transit to the limit around the ‘Ring has always been the dream for a few of us at Ford Performance, but it wasn’t until now that we had the right Transit, the right driver and the right conditions to see what might be possible,” said Michael Norton, F1 and Demonstrators program manager at Ford.
“SuperVan 4.2 already holds records at Bathurst and was a winner at Pikes Peak, but there was always one track on our mind – the famous Green Hell – that we wanted to challenge ourselves at,” said Norton.
“But why? Well, 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.
“This is our chance to see what is possible far beyond any rule books for any race series. Here, we can explore the boundaries of what is possible, all with the aim of bringing these learnings back in to both our race programs and our road programs. And it is already bearing fruit for us. I can’t be specific just yet for competitive reasons but suffice to say that a number of our future race programs will see the benefits from vehicles like SuperVan 4.2.
“Of course, we are very proud of our remarkable SuperVan but 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. For now, we will celebrate this achievement and also remember Sabine Schmitz and her part in this amazing story. She will never be forgotten,” said Norton.
AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.