At last year's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, Ford fully updated its Nugget camper van series around the second-gen Transit Custom. This time around, it's growing the family with some new additions, including a long-wheelbase model that promises more kitchen and storage space and an Active version with a sportier design and available all-wheel drive. Also on the launching block is a plug-in hybrid powertrain that turns the Nugget into one of the most fuel-efficient camper vans on European roads.
Ever imagine yourself chasing the van life dream? We're not talking just about the idyllic backdrops and bucket-list destinations but the actual nuts-and-bolts of distilling your life down to a minimal number of material possessions and letting go of everything else. Sounds daunting, especially if it's your first time living life on the road – some of those discarded belongings are almost certain to be sorely missed in situations you can't even imagine ahead of time.
Long story short, storage area is one of the least sexy parts of camper van shopping, but it's one that can impact your van life success and enjoyment quite a bit. Ford adds some valuable storage space to the tiny Nugget in collaboration with its conversion partner Westfalia by making the camper a little less tiny. The long-wheelbase version grows from 505 to 545 cm (199 to 215 in) in total length, and the added space on right side of the tailgate area gets put to use on a larger wardrobe for clothes, towels and sundries.
Across the aisle, the left side accommodates a larger L-shaped kitchen with longer countertop, perfect for those who want to cook more elaborate meals on the road (or perhaps those, like yours truly, who are a bit disorganized and chaotic in the kitchen). The larger kitchen also provides more storage for pots, pans and utensils, ensuring that everything has a dedicated place and is there when you need it.
Perhaps even more importantly, Ford assures those who demand a bathroom that the long-wheelbase Transit Custom Nugget will also be available to order with a bathroom in the future. It doesn't specify the layout or the name of the model, but in the past, the Nugget Plus offered a simple tailgate-area bathroom with privacy screen, toilet and space-saving foldaway sink. For better or worse, the L-shaped kitchen was just forward and across the way, leaving the remainder of the floor plan much the same as the shorter standard Nugget camper van.
Likewise, the new long-wheelbase Nugget carries over the same layout as the shorter Nugget, excepting the latter's larger tailgate components. A nice alternative to the typical driver-side kitchen block and folding bench/bed mini-camper floor plan, Ford and Westfalia create a more residential division with three separate spaces. The dining area is located directly in front of the kitchen, combining a three-seat rear bench, two swivel cab seats and a removable table into a dining room for five. At night, the area converts into a double bed.
The third and final room is the fixed pop-up bedroom that houses the van's other double bed. Ford's Smart Camper Touchscreen ties the three spaces together with centralized control and information for onboard features including lighting and heating. It also includes an inclinometer to make it easier to level the van out at camp.
The new long-wheelbase model will be available in the Titanium trim we detailed last year and the new Active trim. A sportier spin on the Nugget, the Active builds on the Titanium spec with SUV-inspired exterior styling, durable, water-resistant seat fabric, and a Driver Assistance Pack with pre-collision assist, reverse brake assist, adaptive cruise control and more.
Both the Nugget Titanium and Active models will be available with optional all-wheel drive. Either way, a combo of 168-hp EcoBlue diesel and eight-speed automatic transmission will handle power delivery.
The big news from last year's Nugget debut was the addition of a plug-in hybrid powertrain option. Ford always planned a multi-step launch of the new camper van and said it would have the PHEV ready to order within a year.
The Blue Oval ducks in at the 11th hour and gets it done by launching the PHEV for order a year later. The Transit Custom Nugget PHEV drives via a 230-hp combination of 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle petrol engine and electric motor. The 11.8-kWh battery offers up to a possible 56 km (35 miles) of all-electric driving, allowing van lifers to roll quietly and cleanly through city centers, campgrounds and pristine wilderness areas while still relying on long-distance gas-electric range and refueling convenience.
Ford did not include a full pricing breakdown in this week's announcement, but its website lists the Nugget base price at €73,126 (approx. US$81,975) in Germany. We'll keep an eye out for additional information from the Caravan Salon, which opens to trade and media on Friday, August 30 and to the public on August 31.
Source: Ford Europe
