This is the all-new Ford Nugget campervan, revealed recently with an overhauled layout and a myriad of new features to make your next holiday as hassle-free as a six-hour road trip to a faraway town can possibly be.
Developed in partnership with Westfalia, the Nugget leans heavily on the Tourneo Custom for its cabin, meaning a new dashboard with a 13-inch touchscreen, but more important, a flat, lowered floor that makes moving around inside less of a trip frenzy.
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The interior has been divided into zones, with separate areas for cooking, living, and sleeping. There’s space for two double beds once the roof (now made from self-folding fabric) has been raised, and the front seats are of the rotating captain variety as you’d expect from a camper.
Ford claims the new Nugget is more ergonomic than before, with an L-shaped kitchen allowing for 20% more worktop space and a new drawer fridge for easier access. Hot water is standard, too, so no more scrubbing pans with ice-cold washing-up liquid.
Meanwhile, a flip-up mattress allows for better headroom, and the rear bench is mounted onto a track. A rear-mounted shower fitting is standard, though the accompanying privacy tent (which we’d definitely want) is optional.
Oh, and Ford promises integrated storage locations for stuff like the outdoor table and chairs. Handy. And integrated roller blinds take the hassle out of preventing those dawn-induced 5am wake-ups.
What else? There’s a seven-inch touchscreen to give you control of various functions, including mood lighting. Rear passengers get speakers and USB-C sockets, and as per the front seats, the three-seat bench is heated. Wireless charging and 5G connectivity are thrown in too.
“Nugget is about helping owners discover new places – and with the extra comfort, connectivity and PHEV option of the new model, they can go further than ever,” said Hans Schep, general manager of Ford Pro, Europe. “Customers tell us they use their Nuggets as family cars, to get friends and bikes to the next trail, or as a more exciting kind of retirement plan, so we designed our latest Nugget to do it all.”
The Nugget is on sale now overseas, launching in Titanium series spec with a 168hp engine sending power through an eight-speed auto. Deliveries are due in spring 2024, but all-wheel-drive models are on the horizon and markets like the UK will also get the option of a plug-in hybrid version within the next 12 months. Ford is pinching the 2.5-liter engine and 11.8kWh set-up from the Kuga for that.
Not that energy should be an issue before then: the Nugget has the option of a solar roof and in ‘ideal conditions’ this can generate more power than the built-in features use.
Another thing that caught our eye: the new Nugget has an inclinometer to help you find a flat sweet spot on even ground. Beats using a spirit level. Plus, it still has the greatest name in all of cars.
Let the adventure planning commence!
More photos of the Ford Nugget campervan:
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com.ph. Minor edits have been made.
