The third-generation Honda Odyssey was not as sporty-looking as the current fifth-gen iteration of the popular minivan. However, an owner from California decided to change that, creating a unique Odyssey Type R.
The Honda Odyssey Type R Limited Edition wannabe was spotted a couple of weeks ago in Buena Park, California, by Alex Lam. The most striking element of this unusual vehicle combo is the front bumper transplant coming from the previous-gen Honda Civic Type R. The bumper – probably sourced from a totaled example of the hot hatch – has been spray painted, retaining the prominent splitter and large faux intakes but losing the foglights and the original Honda emblem in the process.
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Despite the admittedly poor fitment and the miss-matching paint, the bumper seems to be as wide as the rest of the body of the Odyssey. The grille is too small and would require some adjustments, but otherwise, the conversion could work with a bespoke bonnet, slightly reworked front fenders, and a new set of alloy wheels. Interestingly, the owner of the minivan didn’t stop at the face transplant but used a pair of taillights from the Honda Civic FK8 hatchback. Unfortunately, we don’t have photos of the rear end, as much as we would like to see the combination of those taillights with the Odyssey’s massive tailgate.
The third-gen Honda Odyssey produced between 2005 and 2010 was fitted with a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing up to 255 hp (190 kW / 258 PS). This is no match for the Type R’s turbocharged 2.0-liter engine that delivered 306 hp (228 kW / 310 PS) in the US-spec FK8, but we will never know how far the owner of this mashup went in terms of power upgrades. The most important virtue of the hot hatch is its track-dominating driving dynamics which is where the Odyssey Type R needs the most work in order to catch up.
Jokes aside, automakers have proven you can build a track-focused minivan with the Renault Espace F1 and the Ford Pro Electric SuperVan concepts. Even ordinary people have built crazy-powerful minivans like the V12-powered Toyota HiAce and the 1000-hp Fiat Multipla.
H/T to Alex Lam for the spot