Many automakers and tuners are offering sporty-looking LCVs, but the owner of this VW Caddy from the UK wouldn’t settle for just a bodykit and larger alloy wheels. In fact, the pictured van has the grunt to put any BMW M or Mercedes-AMG to shame, thanks to a heavily modified Audi RS3 engine swap and a number of chassis modifications.
Everything started with a humble third-gen VW Caddy from 2016, with unpainted plastic bumpers and steelies. Three years later, Joe Baitboat Jacobs‘ vehicle looks more like a hot hatch than your typical light commercial vehicle, while still keeping the practicality traits of the panel van intact.
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Starting with the exterior, the van got sportier bumpers with larger R-style intakes, a splitter, discreet fender extensions sourced from the Caddy Alltrack, deeper side sills, LED lighting units on both ends, a pronounced rear spoiler, and even a rear diffuser housing the signature Audi RS dual oval tailpipes. If those are not enough to communicate the performance credentials of the van, then the massive Audi RS brakes behind the gold-finished VW Vortex 19-inch alloy wheels shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires will do the job – at least for those who know about cars.
Moving inside, the Audi references are more evident, with an RS-badged flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara with gearshift paddles, a digital instrument cluster, and an infotainment screen supposedly sourced from the third-gen Audi A3. There are also plenty of carbon-style accents, an auto climate control unit, and another screen on the center console showing additional gauges.
A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing
Under the bonnet of this special VW Caddy, lies a Daza 2.5-liter TFSI five-cylinder engine with numerous modifications. It has an LMS850 turbocharger, RPC inlet, 980cc injectors, forged elbows and catch cans, water/methanol injection, a straight-pipe Miltek exhaust, and custom ECU mapping. As a result, the power output goes up to 726 hp (541 kW / 736 PS), representing a significant increase over the 335 hp (250 kW / 340 PS) of the stock Audi RS3 Sportback (2011-2012).
In fact, for different driving scenarios, the owner can choose from various ECU maps making 420 hp (309 kW / 425 PS), 522 hp (384 kW / 426 PS), 626 hp (467 kW / 635 PS), or the full 726 hp (541 kW / 736 PS). In any case, power is transmitted to all four wheels through a dual-clutch transmission.
As you will notice in the gallery below, the drivetrain transplant required a lot of cutting on the VW Caddy’s frame, which explains why the whole process lasted three years. Also, the van received a new set of fully adjustable lowering springs by MMS combined with the Audi Magnetic Ride dampers. Finally, stopping power has been adequately upgraded with larger brakes measuring 390 mm (15.3 inches) at the front and 365 mm (14.4 inches) at the rear.
The VW Caddy RS V is certainly a unique build. The owner can take pride that only a few hot hatches – let alone vans – will be able to keep up with his Caddy on the racetrack. Interestingly, he plans on continuing the upgrades, with a new engine producing over 1,000 hp. Talk about a fast delivery van.
