COLOGNE, Germany, June 11, 2021 – Team Fordzilla is this summer hitting Europe’s road to bring fun to children with disabilities and support local charities using a specially-modified Gaming Transit van.
Members of Team Fordzilla – Ford’s own esports gaming team – will drive a unique Ford Transit equipped with accessibility features and the latest high-tech gaming technology to visit charities, care providers and alternative provision schools that support children. For children with limited mobility, the van includes items like adaptive controllers that allow external buttons, switches or joysticks to be connected to create specific custom set-ups.
The marathon road trip will include stops in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK helping to bring fun and exciting new experiences to young people who will be able to play a variety of family-friendly games.
“Team Fordzilla believes that gaming is for everyone and that laughs are more important than high scores,” said Emmanuel Lubrani, senior manager, Brand Communications and Content Development, Ford of Europe. “Our Gaming Transit - which we nicknamed ‘Vanzilla’ during development - road trip will take that fun directly to children across Europe, and will include a few surprises to help the wonderful organisations who support them every day.”
The Vanzilla road trip begins at Rosa Llácer school in Valencia, Spain, on June 14-15, where approximately 100 young people aged between six and 21 will be able to join the fun before the tour continues to other cities in Spain.
It has been designed to deliver an exciting and engaging experience for children with disabilities as part of Team Fordzilla’s drive to share accessibility, inclusivity and competition with gamers. The van’s eye-catching design includes styling features by MS-RT, who produce race-inspired versions of Ford’s Transit Custom and Connect vans, as well as the striking Ranger MS-RT pick-up.
Gaming Transit is designed to be safe and accessible for players. Ford’s partner vehicle modifier Allied Mobility have added a wheelchair lift and folding ramp to make entering and exiting easy, while adaptive game controllers can be configured to meet players’ individual needs.
Inside, the three gaming suites are separated by dividers and feature easily-cleaned surfaces. Gaming Transit also features a pop-up event space and two racing game rigs with steering wheels, pedals, racing seats and a dual-screen setup to create an even more immersive experience for gamers at each leg of the tour.
“I cannot wait to be part of the Gaming Transit road trip and see how much fun we can bring to children across Europe,” said Angelo Bülow, Team Fordzilla Germany captain. “Team Fordzilla is all about grassroots talent, so who knows – maybe the road trip will help us find our next star signing.”
Team Fordzilla
Ford launched Team Fordzilla – its first ever esports team – in 2019 with individual teams in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. Each team competes in national competitions with dedicated team captains, with the best drivers representing Team Fordzilla at a European level.
The Gaming Transit initiative follows Team Fordzilla’s recent inclusivity campaign “Women to the Track”, which seeks to improve the representation of women in sim racing. For further updates, follow them on Twitter (@TeamFordzilla), Instagram (@teamfordzilla) and Twitch (@TeamFordzilla).
Gaming Transit
Ford created Vanzilla in collaboration with established partners from previous vehicles. The exterior style and in-cab upgrades were carried out by MS-RT, while accessibility experts Allied Mobility – a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier – fitted the wheelchair ramp for easy access, without sacrificing interior space. Envy Create were responsible for developing the gaming station fit-out to the ideal specification. The full specification of the vehicle can be found below:
Base vehicle |
|
Base vehicle |
Ford Transit 350E 2.0-litre EcoBlue 185 PS RWD L4H3 1 |
Max power PS (kW) |
185 (136) |
Max Torque Nm |
415 |
Exterior |
|
Styling |
Full exterior wrap in bespoke Team Fordzilla livery, chunky Raptor-style FORD grille |
Wheels |
16-inch Trail 10-spoke black alloy wheels |
Interior |
|
Cab upgrades |
MS-RT Nappa leather and suede interior, sculpted steering wheel |
Gamer capacity |
3, at separate stations inside the vehicle |
Construction |
Built-in tech cabinets and ventilation ducts. Fingerprint- and germ-resistant medical grade laminate finish. Thermal healing helps repairs minor scratches. |
Interior design |
Illuminated Team Fordzilla graphics, livery covering floor, sides and roof. Leather seats and foldaway sneeze screens with Team Fordzilla logo. |
Consoles |
Xbox Series S, up to 1440p resolution and 120 FPS |
Controllers |
Xbox Wireless and Xbox Adaptive controllers enabling plug-in assistive devices for maximum accessibility |
Peripherals |
BenQ 32-inch screens, B&O headsets for each player |
Racing game rigs |
2x Next Level Racing cockpits with BenQ 55-inch all-weather screens, 34-inch secondary screens |
Accessibility |
|
Vehicle entry |
Allied Mobility rear underfloor wheelchair lift conversion, designed to avoid intrusion into gaming area or rear door access |
Interior |
Folding leather seats for full wheelchair access, Xbox adaptive controllers |
Weights and dimensions |
|
Kerb weight (kg) |
3289 |
Wheelbase (mm) |
4522 |
Vehicle length (mm) |
6704 |
Vehicle height (mm) |
2769 (unladen) |
Vehicle width (mm) with/without mirrors |
2059/2126 |
# # #
1 Ford Transit 350E 2.0-litre EcoBlue 185 PS RWD L4H3 fuel efficiency from 9.4 l/100 km, CO2 emissions from 246 g/km WLTP
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford trucks, utility vehicles, and cars – increasingly including electrified versions – and Lincoln luxury vehicles; provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company; and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification; mobility solutions, including self-driving services; and connected vehicle services. Ford employs approximately 186,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.
Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 43,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures and approximately 55,000 people when unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 14 manufacturing facilities (10 wholly owned facilities and four unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.
