Crazy Toyota HiAce Van Has A Functional Sauna In Back

We interrupt your regularly scheduled feed of news in the automotive world to bring you something completely different. Seriously, this is so far out in left field it makes the LS-swapped Winnebago seem mainstream. Perhaps if that recreational vehicle  had its own sauna we'd feel different, but it doesn't. This very modest Toyota HiAce van, however, does.

For starters, here's what you need to know about the Toyota HiAce. It's a light van sold in European and Asian markets where it's primarily used as a work vehicle, though passenger models also exist. In this case, it seems the Toyota slots firmly into the realm of pleasure vehicles. We know it gets cold in Sweden, but this seems a bit extreme.

The van is currently listed for sale in Sweden at blocket.se, and for those who don't speak Swedish here are the takeaways. This is a 2000 model with somewhere between 30,000 and 34,999 kilometers on the clock. It's diesel-powered with an automatic transmission; there's a towbar installed and yes, there a wood burning stove in the back with a comfortable place to sit and sweat. The asking price is 100 000 Swedish Kronas, which conve rts to roughly $11,000 U.S. greenbacks. We even found a video from a local TV station that offers a bit more background, provided you know the language.

Here's the question burning in our brain. Sure, having a mobile sauna could neat, especially in an area where winter sets in long and hard. That said, do we really want to drive around with a hot-as-hell wood burning stove going full-tilt over top the fuel tank? It's probably safer than it sounds – after all the engine up front isn't exactly a cold operator. But if you just want to sweat in your car, blast the heat and tackle the I-5 in L.A. at rush hour. You're guaranteed to sweat buckets, no wood or flames required.

It this creation awesome? Yes. Is it crazy? Absolutely. Does it make us wonder what people are drinking in Scandinavia? Most definitely.