What more did I expect?
Well, for starters, more cupholders.
The godforsaken diesel engine is revving its guts out at 3200rpm to perform the simple task of driving on the freeway at 120kph. It’s 9:40 on a Wednesday morning. It’s not snowing, the weather is more within the grey area between snow and rain. It’s pretty cold outside, and in the Fiat Ducato too, because the heater makes more noise than it produces heat. I’m staring at the steep 2.5km viaduct I’m about the drive up. Looking at this impressive architectural feat, I wonder, “how much speed will I lose?”. Peak torque is 320N.m at 1500rpm, so I assume that my speed will lower gradually until I fall down around said rpm. I assumed right. I’m now at 85kph steadily cruising up the bridge.
The joyless diesel engine creates terrible noises and vibrations in the cabin, especially over 100kph, so, I’m currently driving around 90kph towards Chamonix Mont-Blanc.
At this speed, the Fait Ducato is quite a comfortable drive. Although, it lacks torque. The lack of overtaking ability is linked to the engine’s powerband. Each car has its own way of delivering power to the ground, and in the Fiat Ducato, peak torque is at 1500rpm, in other words: the greatest amount of torque will be found at low speeds and rpm. That was a conscious decision by the manufacturer, low-end torque is needed to move heavy loads, which ultimately is the purpose of a van. But, as soon as you are driving on the freeway you are not in that powerband. Furthermore, I’m in 5th gear, which is a cruising gear, something like overdrive on old cars if you will. Clearly, and understandably: the Fiat Ducato wasn’t suited for highway driving. The lack of comfort at highway speeds is a bit of a shame because of how comfortable the seating position is.
I’m sitting upright. Much like sitting on a wooden bench at your local park, the ones that are built in the most basic of ways: two planks at a 110° angle. The bench in a Fiat Ducato isn’t exactly like that because it isn’t made out of wood, it’s padded, but you get the drift. It’s a surprisingly nice place to be (if you ignore the racket from the heater and the engine), there are two armrests at the perfect height and the steering wheel is relatively close to me, pointing upwards. Plus, I feel like I’m towering over all other drivers, bonus points for that.
Driving a panel van provides a couple of sensations that contradict each other.
On one hand, I’m obviously aware that’s a big metal box that I’m in, and that I’m taking up a lot of real estate on the road. But on the other hand, all the controls are so light that my hands, feet and butt feel like it only weighs a couple hundred pounds. It takes a simple look to my right to see just how far away I am from the passenger window, and realise that the feeling of smallness is nonsense. I need to keep an eye out on the left side of the vehicle.
That confusion leads me to my inevitable first close call. I brushed up a little too close to a brick wall and, the branches hanging off the wall from a big bush sitting on top, whacked my massive side mirror, viciously. In my defence, I was on a very narrow road, and another car was coming in the opposite direction.
The massive side mirrors are essential in a panel van because there is no other way of seeing what’s behind me. There are no windows apart from the ones in the cabin: The windshield, and the power windows on the front doors.
First gear is incredibly short, the clutch is out at 2 or 3 kph. You’ll find yourself in second gear very early, it will follow its predecessor and be very short too. You’re in third before 30kph, 4th around 40 and 5th -you guessed it- by the time you hit 50.
You don’t need to change gears much thanks to the 320N.m of torque the Ford engine provides at such low rpm. It’s very easy to drive in town and at low speeds, I just needed so time to get used to the width of it and keep an eye on the distance between me and the sidewalk.
Ducato :
A duchy is an area of land that is owned or ruled by a duke.
British English: duchy. Noun /ˈdʌtʃɪ/
Nothing about this vehicle is related to royalty. So why in God’s name is it called the Duchy?
The Ducato started its life in the late 80s as a motorhome and maybe Fiat was insinuating, through its name, that owning a home on wheels like this one was much like owning a nice plot of land. So nice in fact, that you might as well be a duke.
It’s a bit fanciful, but I can see the thinking process.
But keeping that name for a panel van… is a bit far-fetched. The explanation for this is much more down to earth. The name Ducato had made an impact on the European people, so, as Chevrolet and Ford did with the Corvette and Mustang respectively, they changed the original product to something completely different but kept the name because of the sentimental value it held to the clientele, and the economical value it had for the company.
To be fair, this corporate tactic, used with the Corvette and the Mustang to manipulate the market, really irritates me. But I don’t hold the Ducato close enough to my heart to care enough. What I do care about, however, is that I only have one cupholder in this van, and for something with a name that calls to royalty, I expected at least one per passenger. I’m assuming the royals would too.
Max,
the-pit-lane.com 
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