Explaining how cool the VW brand still is in Europe can be done quite easily by showing somebody this project car. It's an old 2005 Touran that's been retrofitted with the VR6 engine.
Why? Because this way, you can have something nobody else does. The Touran is a lack-luster MPV, a family hauler with ample headroom. This particular model is 13 years old and still has those rounded headlights you saw on youngtimer Passats and Jettas. However, we don't think it has aged well from a design point of view.
The Mk1 Touran was around until 2015. It debuted electromechanical steering, a first in its class and for Volkswagen. Due to their reliability, the 1.9-liter TDI models are still rolling around Europe. The Touran was also the first VW to be fitted with the newer 2.0 TDI that completely changed the fuel injection system. That's what this particular car started with, a 140 horsepower 2.0 TDI and a DSG gearbox.
But for whatever reason, the owner wanted more and took the classic engine swap route. Being based on the PQ35 platform (same as the Golf 5), the MPV could carry a powerful VR6 engine. This unique VW configuration features all six cylinders in one block, so it's somewhere between a V6 and an inline-6.
The specific unit fitted to the Touran is the "R36," a 3.6-liter that powered the Passat R, which made 260 HP in stock form. We've seen a similar setup in the VW Eos convertible once as well.
A bunch of other small mods has been carried out, ones that will be obvious to VW fans. For example, the rear bumper is adapted from the Golf 5 R32 because of its integrated twin exhaust ports. KW custom suspension brings the car down, while the brakes are from the Audi RS3. Meanwhile, Porsche (Cayenne?) wheels with low profile tires leave you in no doubt that this is a modified family car.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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