OK, now I get you but that is why it is called a van. They all need some weight in the back, that is what they were made for.
Now the point I was trying to make was IF your driving around with two hundred weight of junk in yer Z boot just take it out and you'll increase your performance and your fuel economy, not by much but HEY isn't that what was asked?. Get rid of your spare wheel, air con, don't fill right up, leave the wife at home, dump the H/T, loose some weight, get a decent(big)boot spoiler, yes the big spoiler will make it go faster, well that's what the man that sold it to me said.
For this application, basically a cargo vehicle, I agree that overall handling will improve with SOME weight balancing the chassis, as it was intended to be loaded. My mistake was assuming that an Escort Van was a passenger vehicle.

We made that same mistake 21 years ago the first time that we came to Florida. The Make-A-Wish Foundation supplied a hire car for us all which was described as a "mini van". This turned out to be a Mazda MPV V6 People carrier, however our thoughts turned to this!,For this application, basically a cargo vehicle, I agree that overall handling will improve with SOME weight balancing the chassis, as it was intended to be loaded. My mistake was assuming that an Escort Van was a passenger vehicle.
Good old mini, still remember mine, not many of us olden's haven't had the pleasure, did all maintenance/repairs on it, real doddle, had S (wrote it off) then countryman when my first arrived. Great little cars in their time.We made that same mistake 21 years ago the first time that we came to Florida. The Make-A-Wish Foundation supplied a hire car for us all which was described as a "mini van". This turned out to be a Mazda MPV V6 People carrier, however our thoughts turned to this!,
View attachment 14940
Imagine our relief .
Tony.