Man Buys Toyota Prius. Then He Adds Pulse Jet Power: ‘Something Everyone Needs’

“A strategic addition..."

Man Buys Prius. Then He Adds Pulse Jet Power: ‘Something Everyone Needs’

Photo by: k s & Ronan Furuta

Chad Swiatecki

By: Chad Swiatecki

Feb 22, at 6:00pm ET

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It’s a challenge that sounds both absurd and impossible: take a Toyota Prius—one of the most straightforward and responsible vehicles of the 21st century—and turn it into a Mad Max meets Twisted Metal post-apocalyptic war machine. Oh, and also give it a power boost worthy of The Fast and the Furious franchise.

Aptly named creator Mad Max C7 passes that challenge with flying colors in a viral Facebook Reel that showcases the bizarre modification job he's performed on a car that used to be a Prius, but at this point should probably have an entirely new name of its own.

"The Prius is a strategic addition to the anti-takeover special unit. And yes, that's a homemade pulse jet on top of it for extra boost," the creator describes in the clip that's been viewed more than 8 million times.

An Absurd Auto Mod On A Toyota Prius

In the video, the car looks less like a hybrid commuter and more like a prop that wandered off the wrong movie set. A crude cylindrical pulse jet sits bolted to the roof, like a warning label made out of plumbing parts. The front end wears what looks like a steel battering ram, jutting forward with plenty of menace. And on the back, the rear wheels are cartoonishly oversized and pushed far beyond the body on stacked spacers, giving the Prius a squat, wide stance that feels more Hot Wheels than highway legal.

"And the front just got a little upgrade, too, so it can go anywhere now," the creator adds as the camera lingers on the modified nose of the car that appears to have roughly the ground clearance of a pancake.

It didn't take long for commenters to weigh in and render a verdict on what they saw.

"The game Twisted Metal in real life," one viewer wrote, summing up a thread that quickly filled with references to Sweet Tooth, Minion, and Mr. Grimm. Others went straight to Mad Max, arguing over which apocalypse this Prius belonged in, while a few older viewers drifted into PS2 nostalgia, remembering late nights spent blowing up fictional cars that looked only slightly less practical than this one.

Understandably, there wasn't much debate over fuel economy or quarter-mile times, but plenty of speculation about which part would fail first.

A different corner of the comment section started focusing on the physics and the math of the absurd proposition.

"Are those wheel spacers stacked on top of each other?" one viewer asked, kicking off a thread filled with predictions about bearings, bent hubs, and wheels departing the vehicle in separate directions.

"Bold of you to assume those spacers are gonna hold long enough to make a turn," offered one skeptical observer.

Prius Becomes An Attention-Getter

The car's proportions did most of the arguing on their own. The rear wheels sit so far outward that they look like they're testing the limits of both physics and good taste. And the front end’s low clearance inspired a steady stream of jokes about speed bumps, curbs, and just how much actual ground it could cover before grinding to a stop.

Then there was the homemade pulse jet on the roof, which drew its own way of skepticism. A few viewers asked for proof that it actually runs, which was provided in a later clip showing a cold-start attempt. Other viewers argued that even if the jet starts, the thrust probably wouldn't overcome the combined weight of the wheels, spacers, and whatever optimism is holding the rest of the build together.

"Thankfully, it provides almost zero actual thrust at all," one commenter noted, sounding less disappointed than relieved.

Whether it's functional or not, the jet reads less like a serious performance upgrade and more like a visual exclamation point that's loud, theatrical, and perfectly calibrated to serve as social media catnip.

Part of what makes the whole thing land is the choice of car. Let's not forget that the Prius has spent two decades as a rolling symbol of efficiency, restraint, and quiet competence. Strapping a flame-spitting jet engine to its roof and turning its stance into a physics experiment feels less like a build of choice and more like a deliberate act of cultural vandalism.

"Just went from 55 mpg to 55 gallons per mile," one viewer joked.

Another put it more bluntly: when you take a super fuel-efficient car and slap the most fuel-inefficient engine imaginable on top, you're chasing reaction more than any kind of performance upgrade.

What do you think?

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In that pursuit of attention, the entire, arguably misguided, venture was a success. Whether the jet ever pushes the car an inch faster or the wheel spacers survive a single aggressive turn almost feels beside the point. The Prius is auditioning for a very specific role in the internet's ongoing love affair with unhinged semi-functional automotive theater. Judging by the comments and reactions, the ludicrous mechanical monstrosity is performing beautifully.

Motor1 reached out to the creator via email and commenting on the clip. We’ll update this if they respond.

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