Volkswagen Transporter WBX6 by Oettinger

If the Volkswagen Transporter-based, obscenely expensive and very real Porsche B32 doesn’t quite scratch your itch for an obscure people carrier, there's another super van from Volkswagen that may interest you. 

See, tuner OKRASA gained such a good reputation for finding power from wasserboxer engines that its founder, a certain Gerhard Oettinger, was asked by Volkswagen to develop something new: a wasserboxer with two extra cylinders.

A flat-6 Volkswagen van — with your choice of 3.5 or 3.7 litres of displacement. 

After Volkswagen backed out of the project — something it also did a few times to Porsche  — Oettinger decided to go out on its own to produce what it called the WBX6.

The WBX6 engine is essentially an infinitely-rebuildable (if you can afford it) 6-cylinder OEM-quality Volkswagen motor, available in either 3.2 or 3.7-litres. Horsepower ranged from 165 to 180, and Synchro models were available, too…just not at the higher engine output.

Think of it as the GTI of vans, not the Porsche 911 of vans, if that makes any sense. With sports suspension and a host of structural upgrades, the van was treated to a comprehensive, no-expense-spared upgrade package.