The Supervan 2’s reign lasted almost a decade, with Ford opting not to upgrade their experimental take on the Transit van until 1994. With the Transit selling well, the van didn’t need much promotion by the time Supervan 3 hit the scene in the mid-90s, so one has to admire the fortitude Ford bosses displayed by continuing to finance the pricey Supervan project. And yes, they turned the heads of the racing world again when Supervan 3 hit the scene.
The Ford Transit had, of course, gotten another facelift by the time the Supervan 3 made its debut. The Ford team took a similar approach as its predecessor in designing the new racing van’s body, championing a more track-ready aerodynamic frame for Supervan 3 than the Transit Mark III’s allowed. Though the third generation Supervan retained the C100 chassis, it got a massive upgrade in the engine department, with the design team outfitting the vehicle with an old Formula 1 racing engine.
During that era, the 650bhp Cosworth HB V8 was more frequently used by the upper-echelon F1 racing teams. While the engine likely couldn’t help the speedy Ford van keep pace with many F1 racing outfits, the upgrade made Supervan 3 the fastest Supervan to date.
