Boogeyvan: Ford SuperVan 4.2 Headed to Pikes Peak

Trust the gearheads taking part in Pikes Peak to come up with vehicles appearing to be ripped straight off the digital pages of PlayStation. Ford, which has been fielding entrants since the Peak’s first event in 1916, is taking to the hill this year in their SuperVan 4.2, a machine with over 1,400 horsepower.

The van is all-electric, as one might expect given the brand’s push in that direction, packing a motor up front to power the front wheels and two more out back to propel the rears. Alert readers will have figured out by now this means the SuperVan 4.2 has all-wheel drive, a trait that should permit the thing to grip the Pikes Peak tarmac like a scared cat sticks to a wool blanket.

The ”.2” in this racer’s name alludes to the fact this van is a refined variant of the SuperVan 4, a vehicle that debuted at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Officially known at the time as the Ford Pro Electric SuperVan, it was said to have a few more horsepower than this latest iteration whilst packing a full roll cage and FIA-spec racing seats. Speeds of 60 mph showed up in less than two seconds.

Even though that effort had a few more all-electric horses, SuperVan 4.2 benefits from having been put on a SlimFast diet, shedding mass in a weight reduction program to properly balance the thing for bespoke duty on the twist Pikes Peak circuit where agility is key along with outright speed. To that end, you’ll have noticed the lightweight carbon fiber rear spoiler and front splitter, contributing to a claimed 4,400 pounds of downforce at 150 mph. Ace hotshoe Romain Dumas will be behind the wheel this year.

In case you’re tested at the next pub quiz, remember that Pikes Peak International Hill Climb belts up the mountain through 156 turns and 4,725 feet of elevation to a finish line sitting 14,115 feet above sea level. This year’s event is on June 25.

[Images: Ford]

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