Ford has announced that the Nugget, a third-party campervan conversion of its Transit Custom, will be available to order directly from Ford dealers later this year.
Designed and built by long-standing campervan manufacturers Westfalia, the Nugget goes head-to-head with the popular Volkswagen California. Like the VW, Ford will retail the Nugget directly through its main dealer network – giving consumers an easier time when it comes to buying and looking after their vehicle.
Built on the latest Ford Transit Custom, which was heavily updated last year, the Nugget is powered by the EcoBlue 2.0-litre diesel engine and benefits from the new Transit Custom’s car-like technology in its cabin.
The Nugget steers away from the conventional campervan layout of a side-mounted kitchenette, instead offering a standard three-occupant rear bench seat with an L-shaped kitchen unit mounted behind. The rising roof is hinged at the front to provide greater headroom for those cooking at the back.
The cabin layout is the same as previous Nugget models based on older Transits. It features a small sink, twin-burner gas hob and top-opening coolbox. plus a pull-out pantry unit and cutlery drawer.
Also available is the Nugget Plus, a long-wheelbase model that increases length by 37cm, providing space for a larger wardrobe, a wash basin and even a built-in toilet at the rear. Standard length models have to make do with a portable toilet instead.
Nugget Plus models also feature a fixed high-top roof with a prominent bulge over the cabin, rather than the rising roof of the standard Nugget.
Seatbelts are provided for five and there are sleeping berths for four – two below on the re-orientated bench seat, and two above in the rising roof. The roof bed sits on Frolie springs for a comfortable night’s sleep.
Transit Custom Nugget will be rolled out from Ford dealers across Europe from spring 2019, starting with Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. UK on-sale dates are yet to be advised.
Pricing for the two Nugget models has also not been announced, although last year’s top-spec Nugget Plus model sold for about £53,000 on-road through Westfalia.
