Photo: TikTok / @justinbuildcars
To paraphrase a very popular thematic trope in film, where others say “why?” a very few talented and brave people will go “why not?” You decide in which category the Volkswagen Lamando 5XL falls into.
The Volkswagen Lamando 5XL doesn’t exist as a production car, but it exists in reality – or so will Justin, a self-titled car enthusiast and tinkerer based in China, have you believe. His most recent videos on video sharing platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where he goes under the Justin Build Cars moniker (hat tip to The Drive), show what he calls a true widebody car, and perhaps the widest VW out there.
Meet the 5XL, which is almost double the size it was when it left the factory.
As of earlier this year, Volkswagen is offering the Volkswagen Lamando L in China, which is marketed as the widebody version of the standard Lamando. It’s a four-door coupe-styled sedan that aims to bring that family vibe and roominess to a surprisingly sporty car, but for Justin, it was simply not family-friendly enough.
He and his team modified the Lamando L into the 5XL, which is what he calls their latest project: a car that is almost 3 meters (118 inches) wide and has seating for eight people but can comfortably carry as many as ten in total. It’s a party venue on wheels! Even to Justin, the 5XL looks like it’s Photoshopped, so he’s been posting a series of videos to show it off and, at the same time, confirm that it’s as real as it gets.
According to Justin, the Lamando 5XL is still mostly factory stock – that is, except for the fact that it’s been stretched out. The engine remains on the driver side and seems to be connected only to that wheel since there’s a huge gap in the engine bay in which Justin can stand. The dashboard is also original, but he added a two-person bench seat in the front and extended the 3-seater in the back to allow for five passengers. Justin even kept the rearview camera “for parking purposes,” he says.
That’s a joke because the Lamando 5XL is most likely not legal. That would explain why he’s driving it on a track. Not only is it too wide for the public roads and extremely unsafe, but it’s also very slow, based on the speed it’s rolling in one of the videos.
Be that as it may, there is something to be said about the quality of the work here, which, based on these short videos, seems impeccable. We’ll probably hear more of the Lamando 5XL, if only because the project is not yet completed. Justin says he wants to take it “to the next level” by putting a widebody kit on it. Or, as he puts it, a widebody kit on an actual widebody car. Show those other so-called widebodies who’s boss.
Meet the 5XL, which is almost double the size it was when it left the factory.
As of earlier this year, Volkswagen is offering the Volkswagen Lamando L in China, which is marketed as the widebody version of the standard Lamando. It’s a four-door coupe-styled sedan that aims to bring that family vibe and roominess to a surprisingly sporty car, but for Justin, it was simply not family-friendly enough.
He and his team modified the Lamando L into the 5XL, which is what he calls their latest project: a car that is almost 3 meters (118 inches) wide and has seating for eight people but can comfortably carry as many as ten in total. It’s a party venue on wheels! Even to Justin, the 5XL looks like it’s Photoshopped, so he’s been posting a series of videos to show it off and, at the same time, confirm that it’s as real as it gets.
According to Justin, the Lamando 5XL is still mostly factory stock – that is, except for the fact that it’s been stretched out. The engine remains on the driver side and seems to be connected only to that wheel since there’s a huge gap in the engine bay in which Justin can stand. The dashboard is also original, but he added a two-person bench seat in the front and extended the 3-seater in the back to allow for five passengers. Justin even kept the rearview camera “for parking purposes,” he says.
That’s a joke because the Lamando 5XL is most likely not legal. That would explain why he’s driving it on a track. Not only is it too wide for the public roads and extremely unsafe, but it’s also very slow, based on the speed it’s rolling in one of the videos.
Be that as it may, there is something to be said about the quality of the work here, which, based on these short videos, seems impeccable. We’ll probably hear more of the Lamando 5XL, if only because the project is not yet completed. Justin says he wants to take it “to the next level” by putting a widebody kit on it. Or, as he puts it, a widebody kit on an actual widebody car. Show those other so-called widebodies who’s boss.
@justinbuildcars It’s not a photoshopped car. But it messed up my brain. #fyp? #volkswagen #carsoftiktok #cartok #CapCut ? original sound - Justinbuildcars
@justinbuildcars Reply to @eliteyannik Here’s the interior of my widebody Volkswagen! #fyp? #widebody #jdm #carsoftiktok #cartok #volkswagen ? original sound - Justinbuildcars
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