VIDEO: Hot Box - TH Automobiles' Volkswagen Multivan takes on Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
TH Automobiles' Volkswagen TH2 Transporter - Follow the jump to see it take on a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S
Not a lot of people would look at a full-size van and think, "I bet I can make that thing perform like a sports car." Sure, many major manufacturers have had similar dreams of grandeur with their full-size SUVs – sometimes with halfway decent results – but nothing on this scale that we can think of. On the high-riding, dirt-spitting side of things, Porsche's Cayenne Turbo S comes to mind as an SUV with the speed and handling of something a lot smaller, but vans have been mercifully exempt from these types of projects for the most part. Until now.
Starting with a Volkswagen T5 Transporter, German tuner TH Automobile dropped in a (much) hotter engine and tweaked the handling a bit, creating the VW TH2 in the process. They decided to go with a Porsche mill, presumably to keep things in the family. However, when you realize that the Porsche engine in question is the 560 horsepower, twin-turbo, 3.6-liter flat-six of a 996 GT2, you think, "That poor Cayenne doesn't have a prayer."
Follow the jump to see a video of this van in action, going head-to-head with the bogey Cayenne. The footage is from the German show Grip, and the audio's in German, so unless you sprecken sie Deutsch, you'll have to just enjoy the video. Don't turn off the audio, however or you'll miss the sounds of this beast in action.
The TH2 matches the Cayenne's 4.8 second 0-100 km/h run, and has the same 280 km/h top speed, but it's not a whole lot cheaper than the Porsche at 113,000 Euro. But if you have the scratch, TH will build you one. So follow the jump for the embedded YouTube clip and check out the TH Automobile website to see their other vantastic offerings.
[Source: Grip via YouTube via German Car Scene]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
sparecr 12:41PM (9/28/2009)
Yeah but have you seen the video of Honda's factory vans that run around central Alabama? The red 350 horse one with automatic or the the crazy 500 horse turbo, caged, carbon fiber 6 speed one? Makes Sunday autoXs interesting. http://magiccitymotoring.blogspot.com/2009/08/autox-alabama-august-not-to-bad-today.html
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James 1:11PM (9/28/2009)
Reminds me of those Vanagon/T3 (or earlier) Porsche conversions..
Them Germans really know how to make a BAD-ARSE Bus!
David 1:15PM (9/28/2009)
I want that red one in my garage yesterday! what a great noise coming out of a practical family van! I would love to know if it has the standard 3.5 V6 modified or if an engine swap was performed. I have NEVER heard a honda V6 sound like that before.
brickkyard 12:44PM (9/28/2009)
Add a Westfalia Camper top and this would be the coolest thing ever.
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Trace 12:44PM (9/28/2009)
I'll take mine in Tornado Red.
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JGH 12:54PM (9/28/2009)
It's sprechen, not sprecken.
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Bobmarley 12:49PM (9/28/2009)
perfect for the wife and kids!...?
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Patrick 12:53PM (9/28/2009)
That is utterly BADass. I'll take the crewcab pickup one thanks!
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madmax 1:14PM (9/28/2009)
To bad no LSD :(
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Franz 1:38PM (9/28/2009)
+1. That was the first thing that came to mind. All that power is useless if the inside wheel is gonna go up in smoke every time it's not pointed straight. I have to admit, it is pretty cool though.
John H. 1:27PM (9/28/2009)
Hey, it's no Renault Espace FI...
0-60 in 2.8s
300+ km/h top speed
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Rich 3:33PM (9/28/2009)
Exactly what I thought. The Espace that ordinary Dads can buy is no slouch.
benzaholic 1:30PM (9/28/2009)
Respect the van.
Oh, that's Honda's line.
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Neworderrr 1:55PM (9/28/2009)
Anyone know if the show 'Grip' is available with english subtitles? And I immediately thought of the Espace F1 when I thought of this, as well as an older 4 cylinder Odyssey that was turbo'd for drag racing some years back.
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Rev Junkie 1:59PM (9/28/2009)
Long live the German tradition of hot-rod family haulers! First the R63 AMG, then the RS6 Avant, and now this! And who says the Germans make nothing but conservative luxury cars?
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André 2:07PM (9/28/2009)
If this TH2 outruns a Cayenne using a 996 flat-six engine, why can't Porsche put the same engine in the Cayenne bay? Maybe this would give a more substantious difference between the Porsche SUV and its VW Touareg and Audi Q7 counterparts. It'd also give more stability due to the lower center of gravity and Porsche could even make a lower front and improve aerodynamics, without losing off-road abilities.
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Rich 3:36PM (9/28/2009)
You were going okay until you mentioned preserving off-road capabilities.
The only "off-road" Porsches should have to deal with is the track.
CDave 5:09PM (9/28/2009)
@Andre: I think the simple answer is, the motor doesn't fit, and isn't really designed for the types of things a Cayenne goes through.
It might be fast, but if that van ever hit a patch of unpaved road, the Cayenne would be glad to drive right over it.
Tael 2:11PM (9/28/2009)
ultimate sleeper
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1231234 2:14PM (9/28/2009)
Japanese angry design. Oooh, VW, Audi, mecedes, farari too to late angry, so design try to catch up. Comes out with ugly angry look. Japan - this design is blowing up - ooo lets try to differentiate with toyota forunner and highlander to get away from these design trolls.
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