Torsus Terrastorm | Review

The Torsus Terrastorm is no ordinary van. Designed to endure harsh, unpredictable environments — including Bedfordshire — this robust vehicle operates in conditions far beyond the reach of a regular Ford Transit or Vauxhall Movano. Built on the MAN TGE platform, which itself is shared with the Volkswagen Crafter, the Terrastorm has been reimagined by Torsus to carry out off-road rescues, military missions, and overland adventures. Rather more demanding than dropping off parcels from Amazon.

Headquartered in Prague, Torsus manufactures these vans in Slovakia, drawing on both European engineering and field-tested durability to ensure reliability in extreme scenarios.

While the Terrastorm may appear like an upgraded MAN, it goes beyond a simple modification. Torsus’s enhancements turn the standard van into a vehicle that feels as at home transporting personnel in flood zones or on frontline missions as it does navigating remote wilderness.

The Terrastorm’s versatility is a core aspect of its appeal; this van can be configured as an ambulance, a rugged camper, or even a military command centre, as drone company Evolve demonstrated. The van looks entirely normal from outside, but step inside and there’s a sealed room able to control drones used for reconnaissance behind enemy lines, terrorist cell monitoring, or, using the thermal camera with huge magnification and ability to fly tethered for eight hours, search and rescue missions.

We took a military spec model off-road. Designed with Rheinmetall, a German defence manufacturer, the special operations variant is outfitted with a quick-change tarpaulin over its flatbed to offer “ultra-rapid” access to cargo or people, making it invaluable for missions where time is of the essence.

It's powered by a 2.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine that produces 177PS and 410Nm of torque. That power goes through a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic gearbox to an all-wheel-drive system equipped with a Haldex centre differential and a locking rear diff. The suspension, developed with JRZ Suspension Engineering and Ironman 4x4, includes MacPherson struts at the front, enhanced leaf springs at the rear, and optional Profender Dakar shocks for those who need the added off-road capability. The van’s 17-inch wheels, fitted with BF Goodrich AT tyres, add a little more ground clearance, taking it to an impressive 290mm, but should that not be enough, underbody protection and raised cooling vents enable the Terrastorm to cope with impacts and heavy wading.

A few muddy hills and deep puddles in Bedfordshire barely registered, the Terrastorm shaking them off as mere inconveniences rather than considering them a challenge. Its low-range gearbox was, frankly, unnecessary, although the hill descent control provided some reassurance on steep slopes, engaging automatically to keep the vehicle in check. That’s important, as rescue or emergency missions could be undone rapidly if stability was compromised.

While designed for rugged environments, the Torsus doesn’t sacrifice basic handling on paved roads, something we ably proved in a Terrastorm kitted out as an ambulance. This is equipped for frontline medical work, with an interior designed to manage the transportation of critical patients. Built to help medical teams operate in areas that might be otherwise inaccessible, the ambulance has served in Italy’s flood-prone regions, allowing the Red Cross to reach places that helicopters couldn’t.

Its reinforced suspension and all-terrain tires provide a secure, comfortable ride even at higher speeds. Despite the vehicle’s weight and high ground clearance, the steering is direct, and the van feels balanced, and never overly top-heavy. Granted, at close to three tonnes and with just 177PS to play with, performance was never overwhelming, but a vehicle of this nature is more about making progress whatever the conditions than setting lap records at the Nurburgring. Or the surrounding Eifel forest.

Stepping into the front of any of the myriad variants sees you presented with what is, fundamentally, a MAN TGE. That’s no bad thing, as the TGE has a fine cab that’s practical, comfortable and filled with chunky, easy-to-operate controls. Anyone switching from the MAN or closely related Volkswagen Crafter will be instantly at home.

The fun starts in the back. I’ve tried the ambulance and military carrier and played with drones in the back of the Evolve command centre — even ‘going dark’ as if I was in a special ops group. More useful for most UK buyers will be the Cargo model. This is a straightforward van, with nothing special to mark out the load area but still benefitting from the bomb-proof upgrades from Torsus. If you need to get a delivery to anywhere in the UK — literally, anywhere — then this should be all the van you need.

Torsus has positioned the Terrastorm as more than a heavy-duty vehicle; it’s a tool that serves diverse professional and recreational needs, from specialised military units to rescue teams and adventurers, and countless other missions we’ve not even thought about yet. With Torsus’s extensive upgrades and customization options, the Terrastorm has proven itself as one of the most adaptable and reliable vehicles in its class.