Van drag race: New Ford Transit Custom vs Volkswagen Transporter vs Peugeot Expert

Delivering parcels can be a stressful job, with drivers constantly against the clock to make hundreds of drops a day. It’s therefore important that they have a van that’s up to the task.

Payload, carrying capacity and fuel economy are all important factors to consider – but today we’re focussing on outright speed. Let’s take a closer look at the vans we’ve got on the drag strip today.

New Ford Transit

The word Transit has become a synonym for van over the past few decades, because Ford’s iconic workhorse is the go-to for thousands of tradespeople. This new Transit Custom has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine with 170hp and 360Nm of torque.

This is sent to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and this van weighs in at 2,200kg unladen. You’ll have to part with £32,000 for this panel van version of the Transit.

Volkswagen Transporter

Next to the Ford we have another iconic van, the Volkswagen Transporter. A firm favourite for camper van conversions, it’s fitted with a 2.0-litre diesel engine putting out 204hp and 450Nm of torque.

This is paired to a seven-speed automatic gearbox driving the front wheels, and it’s quite a bit lighter than the Transit – tipping the scales at 2,005kg. It’s also slightly cheaper with a starting price of £28,000.

Peugeot Expert

Finally we have the cheapest van of the three. The Peugeot Expert starts from just £23,000, and it’s powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine with 180hp and 400Nm of torque. Power goes to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.

The Peugeot is also the lightest van here, coming in at 1,657kg – which puts it in good stead for today’s drag race.

But which van will prove to be the fastest? You’ll have to watch the video to find out.

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