Ford seems determined to bring back the Transit Big
Nugget camper van and the concept unveiled at the 2019 Caravan Salon in
Düsseldorf is a strong declaration of intent. From 2006 to 2011, Ford collaborated with camper
specialist Westfalia on the Transit Big Nugget, a camper van based on the
facelifted third-generation Transit van. The automaker believes it’s time for
another Big Nugget, this time based on the latest Transit.
Previewing a rival for VW’s Crafter-based Grand
California released earlier this year, the Big Nugget concept is built by
Westfalia, just like its predecessor. The 5.98-meter long Big Nugget
offers a massive 13 cubic meters of interior space and 2.05 meters of indoor standing height as it’s based on the long-wheelbase,
high-roof Transit model.
Ford says the big camper takes full advantage of the
extra space creating four distinct functional areas including a living
space/dining area, bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette-diner. At the front, the
driver and passenger seats can be rotated to provide a spacious living space
and dining area.
The middle of the vehicle contains a separate
bathroom area, featuring a fully integrated toilet, washbasin and shower. Also
in the middle of the camper there’s a kitchenette with two-burner gas stove,
large basin and a 70-liter refrigerator. Finally, the rear of the camper
includes a bedroom area with a 2-meter long bed designed to sleep two adults.
Ford has not decided yet which engine to give the
Transit Big Nugget when it hits the market in the first half of 2020. However,
it’s safe to say that one or more 2.0-liter EcoBlue turbodiesel powertrains
will be available for the big camper van. In the regular van, the 2.0-liter
diesel’s output ranges between 105 PS and 185 PS.
When the Transit Big Nugget debuts next year in
European markets, it will join the smaller Transit Custom Nugget camper which
is currently being rolled out across the continent following its debut in Germany
earlier this year.
