Toyota South Africa has taken the wraps off a modified Hilux packing no less than 455 PS. The unique vehicle came to life as a way of celebrating one million Hilux sales in the country, a performance which was achieved a couple of months ago when Pretoria businessman Shabier Aboobaker acquired a 3.0 D-4D Legend 45 single cab model which represented the one millionth Hilux sold locally. This bespoke vehicle is essentially a road-going version of the Hilux racecar and comes with a 5.0-liter V8 engine borrowed from the Lexus IS-F, but further tuned to develop a massive 455 PS at 6,000 rpm.
It also benefits from upgraded front and rear differentials, 18-inch wheels, larger brakes and has a sporty suspension which makes the Hilux sit 50 mm lower than the regular variant. It also has a twin-plate AP racing clutch and a full tubular exhaust system while the all-wheel drive system and the D-4D gearbox have been essentially carried over from the standard model.
Toyota South Africa says the entire project cost about R1 million (around $72,150) and they don’t plan to roll out a production version, even though several people have already expressed their interest in buying this 455 PS Hilux.
Source: Toyota
