They said that time is a luxury, never something material, never something physical. A luxury has never been so complete, so physical; until REV chanced upon this hidden gem, that is. Tucked away for a brief four months, a lavish beauty was built upon this body of metal, tucked into a set of wheels that would take one far and abroad, in a lap of the finest that Singapore has to offer.

The recent EMMA Racing Singapore competition has unravelled some truly astonishing pieces of automotive works. Unlike the standard EMMA competition where vehicles are judged heavily on their exquisite audio setup, EMMA Racing emphasises on the modification and tuning side of things, with minimal emphasis placed on the things that make all ears pleasant. With the roads paved to cater for a wider spread of entries, entrants from every nook and cranny began signing for a shot at being Singapore’s best dressed, content-packed automobile that even the commoner on the road cannot resist taking more than a glance.



Through much exhaustion and effort, the undoubted champion of the recent EMMA Racing Singapore round is Nazly’s Toyota Hiace. First impressions count and Nazly’s vehicle does not dilute a single drop of it upon sight. A first for Nazly as well as us folks at REV, who are more than happy to showcase the great amount of toil and effort that was undertaken to turn the unbelievable into reality.

The fifth generation Toyota Hiace not only delivers, it does it in absolute style. Trust the Japanese to paint vanity all over the van. From the get-go, the new Hiace looks almost like it was born for luxuriously transporting goods of most shapes and sizes. Packing a hefty 3.0-litre diesel turbo engine, the Hiace performs its hauling responsibilities with utmost excellence. With an almost complete package, the idea was to turn it into an individual’s dream; a van that mirrored class on a whole newlevel; and so the work started on the Hiace…



Keeping the intake system stock for the purpose of drivability, Nazly’s Hiace gets additional cooling respite with a HKS intercooler with custom piping to keep boosting temperatures stable during sustained periods of usage during the day, when core temperatures swell the most. Keeping pressure stable during the drive is left in the hands of another trusty HKS product; the SSQV blow-off valve that regulates and vents excess boost spikes into the atmosphere. Completing the cycle of boost, combustibles and spent fuel is a HKS F-Con ID ECU, that helps refines the air/fuel management system of the Toyota diesel motor.



Although it has definitive power to haul its weight around, it is also just as important to stop as fast as it accelerates. This is where a set of incredulous AP Racing 660 4-piston brakes sit up front, threatening to halt the van into a ‘stoppie’ with its massive stopping prowess. Certainly, Nazly spared no lesser expense when it comes to upping the Hiace’s handling abilities; with a set of Koni shocks to increase stiffness and rigidity during some ‘lighthearted’ cornering.



Its grip is derived from a set of Toyo Proxes T1R tyres in 225/40/19 dimensions on a set of stylish gloss-black Essex rims, firmly fastened with matching Essex lug nuts.Its external appearance could almost certainly mimic the luxury-clad Hiaces from Japan; with a fullmatching kit from Essex that spans from the front bumper, side-skirts, to the rear bumper; all tastefully fitted for that extravagant hauler feel. Providing an additional degree of ‘bling’ is a set of Valenti lighting equipment; from the headlights to the taillights, in gorgeous crystal jewel finish.

Lastly, the Hiace’s bodywork is completed in classy piano-like black with hints of glitter.Open the van’s interior and one is instantly, if not sucked into another universe’s realm. Recline in absolute comfort as the hues of colours embrace one’s peripheral senses. The plush leathered couches are just part of the entire master plan to envelop one in a sense of comfort, serenity and for contrasting polarity- a MTV-like lounge if needed, complete with the brandy and liquor finish. The interior of the van is also decked in metal plates that have been painfully angled and installed to give off a shimmering metallic effect.



Hand on the remote, a button pushes a hidden Sony 32” LCD monitor up from a recess in a cabinet that houses an arsenal of euphoria-delivering speakers from Fusion, painstakingly installed by the experts over at King Kong Audio. A shelve of these on both sides of the cabinet slide outwards laterally to provide beats up to ESQL standard. Tucked away in plain sight below tempered glass is the jaw-dropping set of punches, an array of amplifiers from Fusion. Up in front, the driver sits in an office of disco-sorts that definitely keeps one in touch with his/her musical self with a gaggle of players and processors from Pioneer, Alpine and Fusion while tucked neatly in the comfort of customised leather and a Essex steering wheel for good gripping measure.



It is not hard to see why Nazly’s Hiace has ticked almost all the right boxes in the judges’ scoring sheets during the competition. A winning combination of performance parts, lights, sound and style with no expense spared in its creation certainly moved the hearts of many spectators, who were also present at the City Beach Resort at Labrador Park. So who said a van couldn’t be “swanky fast” at the same time?

Toyota Hiace

Engine

HKS Intercooler, HKS SSQV BlowOff Valve, HKS F-Con ID ECU, Custom Intercooler Piping

Undercarriage

AP Racing 6600 4-Piston Racing Brakes, Koni Shocks, Toyo Proxes T1R Tyres (225/40/19)

Exterior

Essex Front Bumper, Essex Rear Bumper, Essex Side-skirts, 19” Essex Rims, Essex Lug Nuts, Valenti Jewel Headlamps, Valenti Tail Lamps

Interior

Customised Lights, Customised Interior Metal Plates, Customised Carpets, Customised Sliding Cabinets, Customised Leather Couch, Customised Leather Seats (Driver & Passenger), Pioneer AVH-3450 Player, Alpine H800 Processor (WIFI & Bluetooth), Fusion Player MS-AV700, Fusion Amplifier Cada 12250s, Fusion Amplifier Cada 41400s, 2 PP-CM650 Front Speakers, 2 CP-FR4020 Front Speakers, 2 MS-FR4021 Rear Centre Speakers, 2 PP-FR6520s, 4 PPSW120 Subwoofers, Sony 32” LED Monitor, PP-CM550 Rear Speaker