The 2024 Ford Nugget Camper Van is the all-new version of the mid-sized campervan based on the Transit Custom van and targeted directly at the Volkswagen California.
Based on the brand new Transit Custom, the new Ford Nugget made its global public debut at the 2023 Caravan Salon in Dusseldorf, Germany, and we’ve been taking a closer look. It brings a selection of features that are a first for the Nugget, such as a plug-in hybrid version and a roof with solar panels, and should start reaching customers in early 2024.
The Nugget has a long history stretching back more than three decades, but it only made it to the UK in 2019, courtesy of the outgoing generation of the Ford Transit Custom. This new model is notable for many reasons, not least because Ford factored its existence into the development of the latest Ford Transit Custom right from the start.
So although it continues to be built on Ford’s behalf by partner-company Westfalia – in contrast to the VW California, which is designed and constructed entirely in-house by Volkswagen – it now appears to be better integrated, while keeping the ‘three-room’ layout of the previous version.
Keeping things interesting, Volkswagen also revealed an all-new California Concept campervan based on the Multivan people carrier at the Dusseldorf show. An updated Mercedes Marco Polo made its public debut, too.
What’s new about the 2024 Ford Nugget campervan?
For a start, the base vehicle is all new. The Transit Custom van has been developed from the ground up, and Ford says that the Nugget camper version was always part of the plans right from the outset.
While the van version will certainly have been the priority for the development team, it does show the relative importance of the camper for Ford.
One of the major developments comes courtesy of the base vehicle and the engines it offers. For the first time, Ford will offer a plug-in hybrid to go alongside the diesel engines that have always been available.
This plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) setup is one that features elsewhere in Ford’s passenger car range: a 2.5-litre petrol engine and 11.8kWh battery that is used in the Kuga SUV and offers a combined power output of 232hp.
Ford has yet to confirm what the pure-electric range will be for the Nugget; the Kuga offers 35 miles but the Nugget will certainly be heavier and therefore very likely less efficient.
The other notable first is the eight-speed automatic transmission.
The new camper-related features include a solar panel to aid with powering internal features while parked up. Ford reckons you might well be able to get away with not plugging in your Nugget while you are away – it says that in peak weather conditions the panel will generate more power than the features are able to use.
It’s important to note that, even though the next Volkswagen Transporter will be a Ford Transit Custom with a different badge, the same is not true for VW’s camper. The 2024 VW California will be based on the brand’s Multivan MPV, so it is a totally different vehicle to the Nugget. However, it too will offer plug-in hybrid power when it reached production in 2024.
What are the living areas like in the new Ford Nugget Camper Van?
Ford has stuck with the same basic layout as it offered in the previous Nugget, which means a three-room setup. As well as the seating area up front there is a sleeping section in the middle of the vehicle, while the rear is given over to the kitchen and storage area.
Up front, the space is hugely aided by the flat floor in the new Transit Custom – there is no central console so occupants can walk between the front seats to get into the rear of the cabin. This is similar to the California but an advantage over the Marco Polo, which does have a console in the way.
The second row features three seats (the VW and Mercedes rivals only offer two) in a bench layout, and it is this that folds down to create the main double bed. Ford says it has made it easier to do this conversion, having listened to customer feedback. The seats now sit on a sliding rail and they can be moved and folded single-handedly. There are two Isofix points on this second row, with a third on the front passenger seat.
These seats are also heated, which means that the bed is also heated which will be a welcome feature should you be a winter camper that wants a bit more warmth. There are also charging points down on the side of the bed so your devices are close to hand at night. Only slightly weird is that your feet (or head) end up in a cupboard. But that’s a consequence of the separate kitchen area at the rear.
Having the kitchen at the back means you also get two sliding side doors, something VW is only just able to offer with the latest California Concept.
The kitchen itself has been redesigned, too, with a new drawer-style fridge that is intended to improve access. There is also a sink, a table and chair set stored in the top-hinged tailgate and new storage solution for the ladder that provides access to the sleeping area up in the roof.
This tilting roof area also has had an upgrade – the fabric at the side is now self-folding, to make stashing it away simpler.
Other new features include integrated roller blackout blinds for the windows and a rear-mounted shower attachment with hot water now offered as standard. While this requires you standing outside the vehicle, there is an optional privacy tent available, too.
Ford says that the longer version, which hasn’t been revealed yet, should be able to accommodate a toilet area, too, as was the case with the outgoing model.
What technology does the 2024 Ford Nugget Camper Van come with?
Up front the Nugget gets Ford’s latest infotainment system, which means it gets the Ford Sync 4 setup with wireless charging, a 13-inch colour touchscreen and a 5G modem to keep it connected and act as a wireless hotspot.
The real upgrades come further back, where the Nugget gets a second seven-inch colour touchscreen to control internal features such as the lighting. It will also show you the current water levels and the state of the battery and will even act as an inclinometer to help you get your camper level if you park on uneven ground. It doesn’t adjust the suspension for you (something the Marco Polo can now do with its optional air suspension upgrade), but it will help you work out how much to raise the respective wheels by to get a flat camper – it’s like an in-built spirit level basically.
This screen can be controlled via your phone, too. Ford provides an app so you can adjust the features remotely so you don’t have to fumble your way up the ladder in the pitch black – you can turn everything off using your smartphone once you are in your sleeping bag.
How much will the 2024 Ford Nugget Camper Van cost and when can I buy one?
Ford hasn’t confirmed UK pricing yet, but it has said that it will start at €76,500 (£65,455) in Europe.
It will arrive with a 170hp 2.0-litre diesel as the initial option, with the eight-speed automatic that is a first for the Nugget. Other models, including the PHEV, will launch in the subsequent 12 months.
It is available to order now with deliveries starting in spring 2024.
