The Toyota Hilux Thread

Will SA see a Toyota Hilux Legend 55 in 2024?

Every 5 years since 2004, Toyota South Africa Motors has released a special-edition Hilux Legend model. So, it’s that time again … but will Mzansi see a Hilux Legend 55 in 2024?

It’s become a tradition, hasn’t it? Every 5 years since the Legend 35 was released way back in 2004, Toyota South Africa Motors has celebrated the Hilux’s heritage (not to mention its crushing sales dominance in the local market) with a limited-run Legend model. So, will 2024 see the reveal of a special new Hilux Legend 55?

Well, while it might seem like a no-brainer, the answer is anything but cut and dried. In fact, back in July 2019 when the Hilux Legend 50 was launched, there were murmurs that it would be the last of its kind. The apparent reason emerged in October of the following year, when Toyota SA Motors detailed its updated Hilux range, complete with a new – now permanent – “Legend” trim level.

 
Full-fat Toyota GR Hilux ruled out (but hot SUVs likely)

The head of Gazoo Racing has ruled out the possibility of a full-fat Toyota GR Hilux to battle the Ford Ranger Raptor, though suggests hot SUVs are on the cards…

Waiting patiently for a full-fat Toyota GR Hilux to take the fight to the Ford Ranger Raptor? Well, the head of the Japanese firm’s Gazoo Racing division has unequivocally ruled out a high-performance version of the popular bakkie, though suggests hot GR-badged SUVs are on the horizon.

Tomoya Takahashi, President of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing Company, told Australian media that a full-bore GR version of the venerable Hilux was not going to happen.

“A GR special car? No – only GR Sport,” Takahashi said when quizzed about a hotter Hilux, according to WhichCar. The Australian publication asked again if there was room for a Ranger Raptor rival and reported that the executive simply shook his head and said “no”.

As a reminder, the widebody Hilux GR Sport III that has just launched in South Africa employs the previous iteration’s 2.8-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine, which here generates 165 kW and 550 Nm. That’s not nearly in the realm of the Ranger Raptor, which offers 292 kW and 583 Nm from its turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol mill.

 
Epic London 2 Cape Town journey attracts offer from Toyota SA after Hilux chassis breaks

Setting off from London on March 13, 2024, a trio of friends named Karen, James and Spence aimed to travel throughout the African continent in their trusty steed, a 2010 Toyota Hilux D-4D double cab called Edna.

Due to the treacherous road conditions that they expected to counter, Edna was modified with items such as STT pro mud tyres, two spare wheels, large capacity batteries, 360 degree lights as well as a roof-mounted inflatable tent and pull out awning.

The friends have been showing their progress on their social media platforms as they traverse through each country, city and town. Their platforms, which began as relatively small, quickly grew and they now have over 380 000 followers on Instagram and as much as 6 million views on some of their videos.

 
Electric Toyota Hilux Goes Into Production

A fresh report says there will be a production version of the electric Toyota Hilux. Here are some early details.

A report from Reuters has confirmed the electric Toyota Hilux will be going into production in Thailand at the end of 2025. “Our intention is to be producing the Hilux BEV over here,” Pras Ganesh, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Asia told Reuters. Primarily focused on the Thailand market, the electric Hilux could be exported too.

Now whether we’ll get this electric Hilux locally remains to be seen as firstly, electric cars are subject to unique import duties that make them costly and secondly, there’s a Toyota factory in South Africa, located near Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. While its too early in the production tale to make accurate predictions, the option of taking the know-how/recipe of the Thai electric Hilux and building it right here in SA is on the table.

In the greater scheme of things, Toyota has taken the decision to not fully commit to an all-electric future, with petrol-hybrid technology taking priority. Interestingly, Toyota is not the only brand going down the electric bakkie route as Isuzu has confirmed an electric D-Max is in the works and will also be assembled in Thailand.

 
London 2 Cape Town trio decline Toyota SA’s brand new bakkie offer after Edna’s Hilux chassis snaps

Three friends attempting an epic drive from London to Cape Town have turned down an offer from Toyota South Africa to lend them a helping hand with a brand new Hilux GR-S after Edna’s chassis, an older Hilux version of the bakkie, broke in half.

The British nationals Karen, James and Spence have garnered a huge following on their social media pages after setting off on the epic journey in their 2010 Toyota Hilux D-4D double cab, which they have named Edna.

The trio have so far driven over 12,000 kilometres through southern Europe and the west coast of Africa, but their journey came to an abrupt halt recently when Edna’s chassis snapped in half after traversing some really rough terrain between Nigeria and Cameroon.

 
FiestaST said:
London 2 Cape Town trio decline Toyota SA’s brand new bakkie offer after Edna’s Hilux chassis snaps

Three friends attempting an epic drive from London to Cape Town have turned down an offer from Toyota South Africa to lend them a helping hand with a brand new Hilux GR-S after Edna’s chassis, an older Hilux version of the bakkie, broke in half.

The British nationals Karen, James and Spence have garnered a huge following on their social media pages after setting off on the epic journey in their 2010 Toyota Hilux D-4D double cab, which they have named Edna.

The trio have so far driven over 12,000 kilometres through southern Europe and the west coast of Africa, but their journey came to an abrupt halt recently when Edna’s chassis snapped in half after traversing some really rough terrain between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Click to expand...
You dont want two pieces of shite. Or in this case three? Edna front, Enda back, GR-S
 
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