Introducing the Toyota Ugly Van

[CrazyRussian540]

Six years after Toyota's luxury minivan, the Alphard, hit Japanese (and a few SE Asian) showrooms, the company has given its flagship people mover a facelift, and a twin brother. Noting that one in four family cars in Japan are minivans but that the outgoing Alphard appealed more to grandfathers than fathers, the second-gen model remains conservatively styled, while a meaner, more aggressive-looking stablemate, the Vellfire (above), is hoped to grab the attention of Japanese family men in their 30s who have erstwhile bought Nissan Elgrands and Honda Elysions....



http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/13/t...lfire-sibling/

[BorHor]

Looks mean. Too bad all the vans we get in the states are lame.

[airmenair]

I literally recoiled in either shock or disgust, not sure which was the dominant reaction, when I saw that picture.

EDIT: Haha the license plate looks like it says HELLFIRE on first glance.

[MacGuffin]

Hmmm... a new Toyota and it's ugly...

What's new about that?

[Suedschleife]

There are vans that aren't ugly ?

[THGL]

Looks like they stole the sliding door off a Ford Aerostar.

[Final Daihatsu]

Someone seriously needs to go to Toyota's head designer and slap him really hard in the back of his head.

[bartboy9891]

That's pretty cool. I like a lot of those interesting looking Japanese vans that have interiors that look like they belong in spaceships; though now everything is getting more bland. There was a special edition of the older Alphard, for instance, that looked more luxurious than many luxury sedans. I'll post pictures of that if I can find out what it was.

[fbc]

I suppose you won't mistake it in your mirrors.

And probably plough off the road due to your reaction.

[teeb]

Originally Posted by Suedschleife

There are vans that aren't ugly ?

There are vans that don't look awful...

I doubt a van will ever be beautiful but it can look workmanlike or sturdy, at least. They don't have to be hideous.

[Cobol74]

My Zafira is OK - I suppose.

http://www.carpages.co.uk/vauxhall/v...a-24-06-05.asp

[Wizegui]

I like the Alphard. The point of it is that it's big and comfortable. I was in Japan a while back and I had a chance to sit in one of these vans. Theres so much space and luxury in one of those vans that it felt like a lounge. Besides, I think it just looks like a normal van. Not pretty, but not ugly either.

[vRS]

That's pure boggin.

[hansvonaxion]

Ewan McGregor is advertising the new Alphard.

As much as they are family cars, they're also pushed as "limousine buses", like wizegui said they're pretty luxurious. Ugly, but luxurious.

[dino_martini]

what is that...ugh gross.

[Top gear]

ohhh Toyota is ma fav company , but the van is very ugly

[Vette Boss]

Look at that face.. I might be sick.

Take it away.

[watto]

Why all the hate?

I actually think it's quirky, rather than ugly...

[DTMracer]

That is positively ugly compared to the current gen model.

[NooDle]

I like. It does have a menacingness about it.
The purple color doesn't help though...