► Ford Nugget Camper Van is based on new Transit Custom
► Conversion by Westfalia, always planned for by Ford
► Mild hybrid and electric versions planned, arrives later in 2024
The Ford Nugget Camper Van is the version of the all-new Transit Custom that comes with two beds, a kitchen and even a shower built in. It’s also set to offer a range of different engine options, including a plug-in hybrid and even an electric version.
This new version of the Nugget Camper Van was first revealed at the Dusseldorf Caravan Salon in August 2023 and is already available to order. Even though we had to wait years for the first campervan Nugget to arrive in the UK – it was available for more than three decades in Germany before it went on sale here in 2019 – this new one is set to start hitting UK roads by August/September time 2024.
Ford is not shying away from the fact that this is a direct rival to the VW California, and it reckons that the medium-camper market is a big enough one for the two models to compete. It’s worth noting that the Nugget and the Cali are two totally different vehicles, even though the Ford Transit Custom and the next VW Transporter will be basically the same van.
VW has decided to move its own camper onto the same platform as the Multivan people carrier, while this is the camper version of the new Transit Custom.
Unlike the VW, which is an in-house creation, the Ford has been designed with a third-party partner – Westfalia. It’s a long-standing relationship, though – the same company created the previous verions.
Does that mean the Nugget Camper Van is just a posh Transit Custom?
In a way, it is, but the new Transit Custom looks set to be a much posher and more flexible starting point than the old one. For a start, the totally flat floor in the van means that you can walk around the Nugget’s cabin in a way you never could before. This means you can spin the front seats around, stash more stuff on the floor and generally make better use of the space.
That floor is coated in an oak-effect covering, while the seats are lighter and more flexible too. The second row is able to take three seated passengers but it then drops down to create a double bed. Because the seats are heated, so is your bed, which is a lovely sounding touch.
The Nugget adopts the same basic layout as its predecessor, which means that the cabin is split into three – front seats, sleeping and kitchen. The kitchen area has been redesigned too, with a drawer-style fridge, a table and chair set stashed in the tailgate and a ladder hidden in a cupboard to get you up to the roof bed. As a result of the tweaks, you get 20% more worktop space and the ability to store a bottle upright in the fridge.
The roof has been worked over too, with the side material now better designed for folding. You can also add a solar panel onto the roof top for the first time. In favourable weather, said panel will power all the internal features without the need for plugging in to charge the leisure battery.
Those features include the usual interior lighting and heating controls, all of which can be turned on and off via a seven-inch colour touchscreen. But you won’t have to scramble up the ladder in the dark after you’ve turned the lights off – you can pair your phone to the Nugget and control everything via an app.
The touchscreen also features an inclinometer, which will help with levelling out on an uneven pitch. It won’t actually adjust the suspension, but it will act like a built-in spirit level to
Other neat additions include blackout roller blinds on the windows, charging sockets down by the main bed, a 5G modem to create a WiFi hotspot and a shower in the rear tailgate, now with hot water as standard. If you want privacy while showering then that’s extra, though – you can get a little screen to put around yourself as an option.
What engines and gearboxes will the Ford Nugget Camper Van come with?
As with plenty of vehicle launches these days, there are not major surprises in the Nugget Camper Van’s engine range – there are no new units and everything will be shared with the Transit Custom. This means it will launch with a 168bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine.
What is new is the plan to offer a PHEV and an all-electric version for the first time – these will both join the range in the first 12 months of the Nugget’s life. The plug-in hybrid will come with the same powertrain that is due to go into the Transit Custom with a 2.5-litre petrol engine and 11.8kWh battery – it’s the same setup from the Ford Kuga SUV. In the Kuga it produces a 35-mile electric-only range, but we’d wager that might be a challenge for the heavy Nugget.
It’ll also get an eight-speed automatic transmission and a range of driver assistance systems –adaptive cruise control, reverse brake assist, park assist and a 360-degree camera system to name a few.
The electric version promises other exciting prospects, too. By having a big battery on board, it has the potential to be able to power much more in the way of camping gadgets and appliances. Think the sort of things that you would normally have to be hooked up to a campsite’s power supply to make use of. This means that you should be able to spend more time off grid.
The obvious caveat to this is the range, which is currently expected to be just over 200 miles in the E-Transit Custom panel van. The extra weight of the living kit in the Nugget is a factor to consider, but the electric-van-range test does bear a payload in mind when it is calculated, so it might not move by much.
When can I buy a Ford Nugget Camper Van?
The Nugget is on display in Germany, but you can already order one with first deliveries due to start in around August/September time 2024. Pricing is set to start around the £75,000 mark and there will be a selection of options to make your camper your own. We’ll bring more information as and when we have it.