Toyota has created a 450hp Hilux to celebrate the one millionth sale of its famously rugged pickup.
Powered by the same mill that motivates the Lexus IS F, as well as the off-road race trucks of the Dakar Rally and South Africa’s cross-country series, the 5.0-liter V8 was tuned to put out 34 more hp than the standard 416.
The power is funneled through a twin-plate racing clutch to a standard Toyota Hilux turbodiesel’s transmission, though some custom items like the bellhousing needed to be fabricated to make them fit together. The four-wheel-drive system also had to be modified to handle the added power, and a new oil sump was designed to accommodate the front axle’s differential.
A host of upgrades to the steering, brakes, and suspension, including fully-adjustable shocks round out the list of modifications. The cost was approximately 1 million South African rand, equivalent to about $72,000 US dollars. Though Toyota of South Africa says it is a one-off, it has received a number of calls from customers eager to purchase one.
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