zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
Porsche Once Made a Van With the Heart Of a 911
Porsche Once Made a Van With the Heart Of a 911-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:12:00

VW T3 B32

Porsche has never been one to shy away from making rare models. We’re talking models where less than 10 have been produced, like the and the . Among these rarities is a particular Porsche that wasn’t actually a Porsche at all: the VW T3 B32. It doesn’t look like a Porsche, it’s not badged as a Porsche, but it will definitely sound, like a Porsche.

In 1986, was fielding two s in the driven by two teams: René Metge partnered with Dominique Lemoyne in one, and Jacky Ickx with Claude Brasseur in the other. And while these 959s were engineered to be off-road beasts, capable of handling the toughest rally in the world, they were still quick. With a 2.8-liter 400 horsepower flat-6, not much could keep up with them, including support vehicles. Porsche did have a third on hand, which was considered for use as a support vehicle, but the team needed something both bigger and fast.

Something else Porsche had on hand was avan. Unfortunately, they were hilariously slow, and couldn’t keep up with the fast-paced nature of the race, where like every race, every minute counts. So rather than look for another vehicle or try and make do with what they had, Porsche engineers set to do what any gearhead would do and modded the T3 vans to work with their needs.

VW T3 B32 engine

While standard T3s were available , ranging from 1.6-liter flat fours and I4’s all the way up to a 2.6-liter I5, they were all slow. So rather than mod the existing engine, Porsche took a 288 hp flat-six from a 911 3.2 Carrera and dropped it in the engine bay. Engineers then mated that flat six with a Porsche transmission that routed power to the rear wheels. And since this was meant to keep up with rally racing, engineers also gave the T3 a unique suspension setup and bigger brakes. It was said to have a top speed of only 116 mph, but in reality, it was around 135 mph.

VW T3 B32

While someone quickly glancing at a VW T3 B32 might not be able to tell it apart from a regular T3, Porsche did a few things to distinguish it. There were larger 16-inch wheels with Fuchs rims, additional side vents to cool the bigger engine, front and rear skirts, and a larger exhaust.

VW T3 B32 interior

Inside there was a full leather interior, a Porsche badge on the steering wheel, and auxiliary gauges under the center console, behind the shifter.

While it’s not known whether or not this thing ever had any production intent, examples of the T3 B32 were ever made. While it wasn’t publicly sold, some ended up in private hands, special customers who had a relationship with Porsche. A few of these even have Porsche VINs. And some are available for sale.

The example you see above is one at a Porsche dealer:. It’s currently listed at €364,900, which with the current exchange rates to the U.S. dollar, that’s over $375,700. It’s in need of a bit of restoration as there’s some wear here and there, but other than that it looks great. While the years have given us Porsche SUVs and a sedan, we may never see anything like a Porsche van again.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Hyundai's Mid-Engine Hatchback May Get A 390 HP Hybrid 2.3-Liter Turbo Engine: Report
Hyundai's Mid-Engine Hatchback May Get A 390 HP Hybrid 2.3-Liter Turbo Engine: Report
New spy photos of what’s clearly a mid-engine hatchback have led to reports the production car will end up with a 2.3-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain matching the concept car’s 390 horsepower. As hard as it is to believe, Hyundai is in fact still pushing ahead with a mid-engine sports...
Jul 7, 2025
Modest Mouse--'Black Cadillacs'
Modest Mouse--'Black Cadillacs'
Traffic sucks, so why not start your morning off with some music? You provide the toast and we’ll provide the jams. Absolutely done with all the fucking around and it’s not even 9 a.m. ...
Jul 7, 2025
There's A Surprisingly Good Variety Of Car-Themed Cookie Cutters Available
There's A Surprisingly Good Variety Of Car-Themed Cookie Cutters Available
I don’t bake a lot of cookies, but if I did, I’d like to use some car-themed cookie cutters so they could bake into fun shapes. Check these out! The simply named outfit has a remarkably diverse collection of car profiles, emblems, and front-end illustrations you can press into...
Jul 7, 2025
Imaginary Car From An Imaginary Country: The Korvid Republic Pandemic Car
Imaginary Car From An Imaginary Country: The Korvid Republic Pandemic Car
It’s been a while since I pulled out my That and looked to see , but for some reason I can’t put my finger on, I was reminded of the Korvid Republic’s long battle with the Grouse Grippe epidemic, and the strange sorts of cars they ended up building...
Jul 7, 2025
Harley-Davidson Has Some Neat New Motorcycles In The Works
Harley-Davidson Has Some Neat New Motorcycles In The Works
With diminishing sales, a CEO who just , and a super-expensive electric flagship motorcycle, is in the middle of a crisis that will determine its existence. But two new bikes caught in investor documents show some much-needed promise. The new Livewire, Harley’s first electric motorcycle, , for what I...
Jul 7, 2025
One Of The World’s Largest Auto Suppliers Sets New Profits Expectation: Zero
One Of The World’s Largest Auto Suppliers Sets New Profits Expectation: Zero
As , the companies that make the parts that make up a car are realizing that, well, they’re probably going to make no money at all. And that’s the best case. That and more in for April 2, 2020. Continental is one of the largest auto parts suppliers in...
Jul 7, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved