Ford to offer VW California-rivalling Transit Nugget camper

Ford has announced that a campervan conversion of its Transit Custom, named the Nugget, will be available to order directly from dealers later this year.

Built for Ford by legendary campervan manufacturers Westfalia, the Nugget goes toe-to-toe with the immensely popular VW California. Like that camper, 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 ‘van.

Based on the Ford Transit Custom in its latest facelifted guise, the Nugget makes use of Ford’s EcoBlue 2.0-litre diesel engine and promises the latest in car-like technology for its cabin.

The Nugget eschews the classic campervan layout of a side-mounted kitchenette for a standard bench seat and rear-mounted kitchen unit. The rising roof is hinged at the front, to provide greater headroom for those cooking. The layout is identical to previous Nugget models based on older Transits – with a small sink, twin-burner gas hob and top-opening coolbox plus a pull-out pantry unit and cutlery drawer.

Long-wheelbase models – named Nugget Plus – add 37cm to the camper’s length, allowing space for a larger wardrobe, a washbasin and a built-in toilet at the rear. Standard-wheelbase models make do with a Porta-Potti in its own dedicated compartment.

Plus models also feature a fixed high-top roof with prominent overcab bulge rather than the rising roof of shorter versions.

Seatbelts are provided for five occupants 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 comfortable Frolie springs.

No pricing information has been revealed for the latest Nugget, but last year’s range-topping long-wheelbase Plus model retailed for around €60,000 (£53,000).