Vans are just motorized boxes for moving people and other boxes from one place to the next. Going fast and looking cool while doing it isn’t generally part of the remit. And mid-mounted V12s are definitely not on the menu.
Unless, that is, you’re prepared to get your hands dirty and do the job yourself, which is what one ambitious South African man decided to do. Starting with a standard Toyota Quantum, the van better known in the wider world as the HiAce, he embarked on a radical project that took inspiration from the world of Lamborghinis.
We know, it sounds crazy, but bear with us. James Redelinghuys had an idea to create an eye-catching taxi to promote his own taxi business. The Quantum is a popular taxi vehicle in South Africa, meaning there are thousands of seemingly identical versions weaving around cities like Cape Town every day. But adding a Lamborghini-style body kit available for the HiAce in Japan looked like the perfect way to make this particular Toyota stand out.
Image credits Hypercar International | Facebook
“There’s this company in Japan called S.A.D,” James told Top Gear, who have actually had a chance to ride in the crazy creation. “They do these amazing Lamborghini Aventador-style body kits for HiAces. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to have one.”
Related: The Toyota Century Was A V12-Powered Luxury Sedan For Japan’s Elite
But from there things went a little mad. Redelinghuys and his brother acquired a 5.0-liter 1GZ-FE V12 from a Japanese Toyota Century, which even in standard form would have made the van a one-off and would have required some major fabrication to fit.
A standard-spec motor was never going to be enough for this build though. Instead, the V12 now features two turbochargers, a bespoke air intake and Porsche 911 GT3 injectors, and two large charge coolers, lifting power from around 280 hp to a stonking 592 hp.
That’s easily handled by a three-speed TCI Streetfighter auto box rated for applications up to 750 hp and a Ford Mustang rear end with a limited slip diff. Less straightforward, judging by photos of the van from underneath, was the job of plumbing everything in. Even just looking at the way the intercooler pipes criss-cross the tiny propshaft and rear axle is mentally taxing, never mind having to actually create it all from scratch.
Japan’s Sad has no qualms about showing where it received its inspiration for the HiAce bodykits
With the powertrain sorted it was time to give it the visual drama to suit. The Aventador-look ‘Stinger’ body kit from S.A.D was fitted and sprayed with paint that Redelinghuys describes as having an orange tint in the sun, but looking red in the shade. And the look was completed by a set of Audi R8 wheels.
Related: Toyota ‘PieAce’ Convertible Is An Open-Air April Fools Joke
Maybe not quite completed, because the one area still requiring attention is the interior. There’s little in the cabin besides a steering wheel, a pair of bucket seats and a B&M ratchet shifter. The original plan was to trim the interior to match the exterior, but it sounds like funds or patience might have run dry before Redelinghuys had the chance to make it happen.
Image credits Hypercar International | Facebook
Instead, he’s giving the next owner the chance to have the interior finished to their preferred specification. Fancy it? According to this Facebook advert (albeit dated October 2020), it’s up for R1,195,000, which equates to $79,577 (£58,414).