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Cape Town - Toyota Quantum's are akin to local KFC fast food chains - they're prolific throughout South Africa. For a Quantum taxi to be considered unique it has to be truly special. We're not talking about simple decals, huge ear-drum bursting sound systems or weird 'horns' adorning the front but rather thousands of Rands spent on upgrades.
Wheels24's Janine Van der Post first saw the modified Quantum on Joe Klein's Instagram account when the stylish mini-bus won a Best of Show trophy at the Cars for Kids event held earlier in April 2017.
What a taxi!
Meet Zuheir, from ZTrans in Cape Town, and his idiosyncratic Toyota 'taxi' - the Empire.
This mini-bus is the first 'bagged' Toyota Quantum, and also the only one of its kind, in South Africa.
First known as the 'Quantum of Solace' with a blue paintjob, owner Zuheir says he wasn't happy with the initial DIY work, performed by himself and his drivers, created in his backyard purely because of the colour.
He went online and researched what modifications are fitted to vehicles abroad, especially in the United States, and was inspired to fit an air suspension, technology usually reserved for stately sedans.
Zuheir then turned to Anees Khan at Sounds Dynamic and handed over his van for a complete custom job.
CSAir, a division of Capestance did the complete setup for the Quantum's air suspension.
Do you have a seriously modified car, or mini-bus taxi? Tell us via email, Facebook and Twitter and we'll publish your images or story.
The Empire, as it's affectionately known, was given a fresh new custom spray job with Lamborghini Yellow paint, worth R50 000. In fact, Khan says the majority of the parts fitted to the Empire has been custom fabricated by them, even its made-to-fit 19" wheels.
All images by: Joe Klein
It's bumpers are imported from Japan, along with the miniature, minibus model cars displayed in a cabinet inside the taxi. Zuheir says his cousin, who happens to own Dreamers' Hobby shop in Kenilworth, personally went to Japan and purchased the model minibus vans for him.
Khan says: "The interior used to be a cream colour, now everything is covered in a fully custom black leather with yellow vinyl stitching."
The biggest highlight on this minibus is of course its air suspension imported from the US at a cool price of R80 000. This also means the Quantum needs four additional batteries plus the van's regular battery to operate the ViAir suspension along with the killer sound system.
Let's unpack its RockfordFosgate sound system; Khan says Zuheir's minibus has a Pioneer Double Din head unit with a RockfordFosgate 360.6 processor; RockfordFosgate power splits in the front, and back.
The rear console is a fully fibreglass fabrication to house the air suspension, the two RockfordFosgate amplifiers and two, 12" P2 sub-woofers.
Niceties inside the minibus also includes a 55" LED dropscreen TV, with a PlayStation steering wheel mounted with pedals which is connected to the PlayStation 4. There are also three multi-angle cameras inside the van.
Great job to the team at Sound Dynamics. If only all minibus vans could be this cool in SA, nice one Zuheir!
All images by Joe Klein.
