The Ford SuperVan 4 was one of the star vehicles at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard. Truly unbelievably fast, to the point we thought it was on fast-forward, it also looked incredible and served as a genuine successor to the SuperVans that came before. Now it’s taking on an equally famous hill in the US: Pikes Peak.
The SuperVan follows in the footsteps of Fords that have taken on the famous hillclimb, going back over 100 years. As early as 1916, the likes of the Ford Model T were being thrown at the infamous ascent, which in those days, was little more than a dirt track.
Of course with near-on 100-times the power of a Model T, a low floor-hugging floor and rigid suspension, Le Mans-winner, Goodwood legend and Pikes Peak record-holder Romain Dumas will be thankful it’s now paved. He who chaperoned the SuperVan up the Hill last year in spectacular, truly jaw-dropping style, who also set the record up Pikes Peak with the Volkswagen ID.R, will combine vehicle and venue with a run in the van.
The attempt – what will be Dumas’ ninth run of the PPIHC – will take place on 25th June 2023, so both Ford and Dumas have plenty of time to prepare the SuperVan for its ascent.
“The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the perfect next stop for Ford Performance, and is the perfect place to take SuperVan 4, as both have long, storied histories that ignite the imagination of racing fans all over the world,” stated Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports.
“Both have evolved over time, and it’s time to take our electric vehicle technology and put it to the test on the mountain against some of the most impressive performance vehicles in the world.”
Ford
Supervan
Romain Dumas
Pikes Peak