Ford’s E-Transit SuperVan 4.2 is set to electrify Australia’s Mount Panorama racing circuit during the Repco Bathurst 12 Hour race weekend with a series of thrilling public demonstrations.

The all-electric demonstrator vehicle will be unleashed upon Australia’s most famous racing circuit with Romain Dumas at the helm in a series of runs set to thrill onlookers during both the build-up to Australia’s international GT3 enduro and the Thrifty Bathurst 500 Supercars season opener, the following weekend.

Mount Panorama is the latest stop on SuperVan 4.2’s global tour, with the track monster previously conquering the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in the USA.

“SuperVan 4.2 will take on the challenge of Mount Panorama in the same configuration it raced in at Pikes Peak – as the ultimate expression of what is possible with electric performance and Ford’s EV technology,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports.

“Mount Panorama stands tall as the ultimate motorsport challenge in Australia, and we are excited to see SuperVan 4.2 attack its legendary twists and turns.”

Along with high-speed demonstration runs during the race weekends, SuperVan will be on display throughout the Bathurst ‘SuperFest’ week and taking part in a number of public activations, allowing Australian racing fans their first opportunity to see the latest iteration of the iconic concept’s lineage.

“Driving SuperVan 4.2 is always a huge privilege, and after the successful outing at Pikes Peak, I am delighted that the Ford Performance team keep finding new and exciting ways to push the envelope. For any racing driver, Bathurst is a unique and exhilarating challenge, and I can’t wait to give the Australian fans a show they will hopefully never forget,” said Romain Dumas.

With 1,400 horsepower being delivered to all four wheels, SuperVan 4.2 already has an impressive track pedigree. During its assault on the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb the all-electric racer finished second outright and first in class – smashing the class record in the process.

This was thanks to several key upgrades since it was first revealed as SuperVan 4.0 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2022, including the shedding of almost 400kg of weight, an enhanced battery and electric motors, and a new aerodynamic package capable of generating two tonnes of downforce at 240km/h.

The Legend of SuperVan

The Repco Bathurst 12 Hour will be the first appearance of any Ford SuperVan on Australian soil, marking a historic moment for the famous nameplate that has thrilled racing fans worldwide for over fifty years.

There have been a number of high-performance Transit concepts throughout Ford’s history, with the very first, SuperVan 1, making its debut at Brands Hatch in the UK on Easter Monday, 1971.

The original SuperVan was powered by a mid-mounted 400 horsepower version of the monstrous V8 that powered the GT40 to victory at Le Mans.

SuperVan 1 became an instant hit, performing on-track demonstrations around the United Kingdom, demonstrating the type of dynamics that define Ford’s Transit nameplate.

It would be 13 years before the sequel, SuperVan 2, stormed onto the scene at the Donnington Truck Grand Prix in 1984. SuperVan 2 used all its Cosworth DFL V8 a year later to achieve a stunning 280km/h at Silverstone.

In 1994 the same car underwent a massive upgrade, transforming into SuperVan 3 with a new seven-eighths scale fiberglass body and 650 horsepower Cosworth ‘HB’ V8, and would continue to perform public demonstrations until 2001.

Supervan 3 underwent a full restoration in 2004, recommencing public demonstrations to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Ford Transit range.

The SuperVan name would then return in 2022 with the debut of SuperVan 4.0. Gone were the combustion engines of previous generations, replaced with four cutting-edge electric motors and a 50kWh battery.

A collaboration between Ford Performance and STARD, SuperVan 4.0 can accelerate to 100km/h from a standstill in less than two seconds.