Sporting a new Ford Performance livery, meet the Ford SuperVan 4.2.
Ford Performance has revealed a highly modified version of the electric SuperVan 4 ahead of this weekend's 101st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC). Dubbed SuperVan 4.2, not only is there a new livery to represent the new Ford Performance logo and colors, but the SuperVan has a bonkers new aero setup with which it wants to conquer the Race to the Clouds.
But perhaps the strangest element of version 4.2 is that it has less power than the initial SuperVan 4 concept's 1,972 horsepower, only producing “over” 1,400 hp in Pikes Peak form. That's because 1,400 ponies is more than enough, and without the altitude losses faced by ICE competitors, the SuperVan is already at an advantage.
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Ford has a long history of racing the PPIHC, dating back to a Model T racing up the mountain in the very first running in 1916. The mountain has changed since then, however, and so has Ford. This year, Romain Dumas will pilot the SuperVan 4.2, and if that name sounds familiar, it's because Dumas is already a Pikes Peak record holder, setting the outright record in 2018 in the Volkswagen I.D. R electric racer (7:57.148).
The I.D. R only had 680 hp on tap and weighed under 2,500 pounds, so with more than double the power, Dumas and the SuperVan 4.2 might be eyeing a new overall record.
Downforce will be critical, and the SuperVan 4.2 generates tons of the stuff. Literally. At 150 mph, its new aero package produces over 4,000 lbs of downforce courtesy of the gargantuan rear spoiler and front splitter, both made from carbon fiber.
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The 'van,' loosely based around a Ford E-Transit visually, also went on a diet for the hill climb, although Ford hasn't said how much has been shed. The weight-saving measures include a perspex windscreen, a minimalist interior, reducing the motor count from four to three, and using STARD's Ultra High-Performance Li-Polymer NMC pouch cells for the battery pack, letting it discharge rapidly. The STARD motors also give it up to 600 KW in regeneration capacity, with the regen action supporting carbon ceramic brakes.
At each corner, forged magnesium wheels are shod in Pirelli P Zero racing slicks, and with the extra grip provided, Ford upgraded the driveshafts to cope with the additional forces.
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“Together with our STARD partners, we have built the E-Transit SuperVan 4.2 to be a truly competitive machine focused on getting to the top of the mountain quickly,” says Ford Performance Motorsports global director Mark Rushbrook. “The Pikes Peak Hill Climb presents the perfect opportunity to showcase Ford's electric vehicle technology and bring light to EV Performance.”
Indicative of Ford’s intent to set a new outright record, Mike Norton, WRC Program Supervisor & Motorsports Regulations and Homologation, Ford Performance claims that “our run times on the mountain will be worth tuning in for.”
By this time next week, we could be adding a new icon to the list of best Pikes Peak cars.
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Keyword: Ford SuperVan Gets New Look, Wild Aero, And LESS Power For Pikes Peak