It is fast enough to transport a van.
Performance is not a hallmark of large vans. Utility is the key to success, which makes aerodynamics a non-issue. Modern vans are more efficient than their predecessors but still have difficulty reaching high speeds. A TopSpeedGermany YouTube video shows just how difficult it is. It takes a trip to the German Autobahn to try to reach its maximum speed.
The Ducato III, a Type 250, is powered by a 2.3-liter engine that produces 130 horsepower (96kW) and 236 pounds-feet (322 Newton-meters). This is a small engine for a large vehicle like the Ducato III, but it’s noticeable once it starts driving on the Autobahn. From a stop it is painfully slow, taking almost 20 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 miles per an hour). It is almost at 170 km/h (105 mph) and it continues to slow down as it climbs. It’s not an impressive speed but it’s not what this van was intended to do.
The majority of the video shows the driver holding the steering wheel with both hands. It is difficult to maneuver large vehicles at high speeds. Because of its flat sides, the van is easy prey for crosswinds that push the vehicle along the highway. This is one reason van speeds and large vehicles are kept at a low level.
It was quite surprising to see the Fiat cars passing by. This vehicle would often be parked in the right lanes, cursing its destination and not racing into the left lane like an Ferrari. Although the audio is a little boring to listen to, it’s still entertaining to see the speedometer slowly climb up on such a strange vehicle. We can’t recall many videos of supercars with high-powered engines tackling the Autobahn. However, there are plenty of videos showing high-speed Fiat Ducatos.