One Awesome Minivan That Can Drift

This is basically a story of an ugly duckling. A throwback car that didn’t drive according to how it looked. A model that developed a following when it should have been forgotten.

In January of 1990, Toyota introduced a mid-engined 4-cylinder minivan in Japan with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, a choice between 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual transmissions, and seating for eight people. The Previa found success, and Toyota’s executives began making plans to introduce the vehicle to American audiences.

Knowing, however, the Americans prefer cars with some power, Toyota’s engineers looked at how to make the Previa competitive with Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth, who all had standard six-cylinder engines.

A larger V6 engine was not possible in the Previa because of its unusual mid-engine construction. Putting the engine in the middle gave the van superior balance and handling capabilities, but made it difficult to upgrade.

The engineers ultimately found a performance solution that has been responsible for making the Previa an unlikely hero in racing, mudding, drifting and even action movies.

They gave the Previa a supercharger.

A supercharger basically compresses air so that the ignition of gasoline produces more energy, yielding greater power.

The supercharger they used came straight out of the 1990 MR2—Toyota’s sporty two-door—that is, after a few modifications. They enlarged the unit, though that meant they had to put it in the front of the van and connect it to the engine via a belt that turned the alternator and A/C unit.

Today you can go on Youtube and find videos of people doing truly impressive things with that supercharged engine. While more modifications been made to make it more competitive, the fact that it has competed in any category other than grocery runs is outstanding.

So what’s the moral of this story? It could be to be different. It could be you. It could be that Americans love powerful cars, and it could be that Toyota’s engineers know how to make a car. Whatever the moral is, we hope you feel inspired.