Ford Transit Custom Nugget: a golden campervan experience?

Ford has partnered up with their favourite converter to bring the new Transit Custom into the modern campervan game — but have they struck gold?

With the camper market continuing to flourish, Ford and Westfalia have teamed up once again to create the “next generation” of Nugget. This partnership began all the way back in the 1970s when the German campervan conversion specialists got hold of the Ford Transit Mark 1, and it seems the duo are aiming to satisfy contemporary campers using the latest Transit Custom.

Why trade pump for plug, when you can have both?

There are a number of signs that the Nugget has been “re-invented for the digital age”, as is Ford’s aim. First up, despite being built on the new Transit Custom’s underpinnings, Ford has pulled technology from the Ford Kuga to offer a plug-in hybrid EV Nugget for the first time.

The 2.5-litre petrol engine and 11.8 kwh battery combination may give the Nugget an edge over what is seen as its main rival, the Citroen Holidays, and although the hybrid Volkswagen California concept has now become a reality, a PHEV campervan remains a fairly unique offering. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: hybrid campers just make sense to us, considering the standard campsite plug-in procedures many van lifers are accustomed to — why not add a little extra range on top of keeping the night-lights on?

Usain Bolt famously ate 100 chicken nuggets per day whilst smashing sprint records during the Beijing 2008 Olympics, but it’s this Nugget’s cross-country potential that has caught our eye. Set to be launched on Goodyear tyres, the new powertrain’s output can be delivered to each of the camper’s four corners as an all-wheel drive model will be available — a perfect combination for camping off the beaten track and avoiding issues at muddy festivals.

Getting into the zone

This latest iteration follows the classic Nugget multi-zone design, effectively splitting the camper into three “rooms”: Cabin up front, living and sleeping area in the middle, and kitchen at the back.

The driving area has been brought into the information age, with Ford drawing heavily from the Tourneo Custom’s practical, contemporary interior. This dashboard provides a nice mix between the 13-inch infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, and tactile push-button controls to avoid an overload of smudged-fingerprint frustration.

Between the two rotating front seats, the centre console has been removed to make the most of the Nugget’s van-wide flat floor, providing a corridor to allow easy walkthroughs between the cabin and living area — climbing skills only necessary for outdoor destinations, rather than inside the camper! Plenty of tech has been incorporated in the middle section as well, including the sliding rear bench which folds flat when it’s time to sleep, meaning you don’t only get heated seats, but a glamping style heated bed as well.

Interestingly, while there is room for five passengers in Ford’s latest camper (two in the front, three in the back), the Nugget only sleeps four — choose your friends wisely or prepare for a chilly night!

USB-C ports have been sprinkled across the living area, which also gets an upgraded set of speakers. These gadgets, as well as the internal lighting and battery status, can be monitored and controlled from a second seven-inch touchscreen in the living area. This screen can be linked to your smartphone to avoid any bleary-eyed trips down from the roof beds to tweak the settings. Even better, all of these gadgets can be hooked up to a 5G modem, to keep you up to date on your travels. 

Party in the back

While there is still the pull-out awning you would expect on the living area exterior, you may often find yourself sheltering under the Nugget’s bootlid. Why? Well, not only because Ford and Westfalia have cleverly stored camping chairs in a bootlid cubby, but because this is where the distinctive L-shaped kitchen lives. 

The kitchen has a clean, modern aesthetic to match the camper’s “next generation” aspirations. It’s optimised with a new hob and sink layout for 20% more workspace than the previous Nugget, as well as a fridge which is now large enough the store bottles upright. Hot water capabilities are included as standard up at the back, and a shower can be attached to the boot lid to make the most of this — yet more campsite luxury.

There is plenty room for you and your chef’s hat in this rear section thanks to the tilt roof, complete with fancy new self-folding fabric to make popping it up and down less of a faff. We are also definitely a fan of the optional solar panels which can be installed on top of this lid to charge the leisure battery, and all the Nugget’s gizmos — futuristic and frugal power, what’s not to like?

So, Ford has clearly leant on strong foundations to create the next generation of Nugget, but have they created a campervan ready for today’s market? Let us know.

Hero image credit: Ford