Did a Toyota->ke88 minivan->ke1149 really beat a Chevrolet Camaro->ke248 in a hot lap race around the Willow Springs race track? Toyota claims that it happened, although it did say that it wasn't a regular Sienna->ke1053 that humbled the mighty Chevy->ke199 muscle car.->ke507 It was the Sienna R-Tuned Concept, a fully customized Sienna that Toyota Technical Center, in collaboration with renowned performance shop DG-Spec, built specifically for the 2015 SEMA Auto Show.->ke216

Based on a stock Sienna SE "Swagger Wagon", the R-Tuned Concept falls under the category of unlikeliest cars to shame a 455-horsepower Camaro. But, was it really as surprising as some people are making it to be? The answer to that question can be found in the extensive work done by TTC and DG-Spec to turn this Sienna into an all-conquering minivan that’s oozing with swag.

The van has a racy exterior that highlights its new-found aggression on the track. It also has a stripped-down interior and enough performance modification to give its 3.5-liter V-6 engine the juice it needs to become more than just Toyota’s favorite people-hauler.

Continue reading to learn more about the Toyota Sienna R-Tuned Concept.

toyota-sienna-r-tuned-concept

Specifications
  • Make: Toyota
  • Model: toyota-sienna-r-tuned-concept
Pros
Cons

2015 Toyota Sienna R-Tuned Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Toyota
  • Model: 2015 Toyota Sienna R-Tuned Concept
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: sienna
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The exterior changes on the Sienna R-Tuned Concept are mostly of the aesthetic variety. That’s not a bad thing at all, especially considering how the van’s appearance turned out. Using black as the predominant color of the van, TTC and DG-Spec gave the Sienna a sporty and aggressive appearance by adding touches of yellow throughout the body. The van has yellow and white racing stripes that run from the lower front bumper all the way to rear bumper. The fog lamp casings, side sills, and exterior mirror housings also received the yellow treatment. Lastly, decals of company’s that presumably had a hand in building the R-Tuned Concept were added on the bottom part of the doors.

Interior

Since the Sienna R-Tuned Concept was developed with performance in mind, TTC and DG-Spec wasted little time stripping down the van’s interior, taking out pretty much everything that was deemed compromising to the vehicle’s performance capabilities. So, in the interest of weight savings, all of the van’s interior amenities were taken out, leaving it with only a handful of items like the bucket seats and a roll cage. Toyota didn’t mention how much weight the Sienna R-Tuned Concept shed with the cabin fire sale, but I’ll take a stab at it and say it was significant enough to help the van outpace the Camaro.

Drivetrain

Proving that you don’t need a complete overhaul of the engine to make it perform better, TTC and DG-Spec took a rather alternative approach in boosting the Sienna R-Tuned’s performance capabilities. In fact, no work was actually done on the Sienna’s stock 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 266 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque. Toyota instead focused on adding a clutch-type limited-slip differential to go with new wheels, performance tires, brakes, and double-adjustable shocks with racing springs.

The presumably improved performance numbers were not mentioned, but according to Toyota, the Sienna R-Tuned Concept was able to lap the 1.7-mile track in just 1:27, a full second faster than the 455-horsepower Camaro. How did that happen? As TTC and DG-Spec proved, there’s a method to making a car go faster around a track without even touching the engine. All one needs to do, as TTC and DG-Spec demonstrated, is to make sure adjustments are made to make it handle and brake better. Who cares about straight-line speed if the car, or in this case, van, can handle corners like a boss.

Conclusion

Paint a surprised picture on my face because I didn’t expect to see something like this. But, that’s my fault since I should’ve known better. I mean, if Toyota can somehow integrate SpongeBob Squarepants into a Sienna, the van really does provide a world of aftermarket possibilities.

I love everything about the Sienna R-Tuned Concept. The two-tone, black-and-yellow body sets the mood for what the van is really capable of and the number of modifications given to it to improve its performance capabilities is nothing short of impressive. The Camaro probably never saw that coming.