Top Gear is said to be the world’s highest production costing automotive TV show and damn right it is. Watch the ‘polar challenge’ episode if you think otherwise. Its a 400 mile expedition from ‘Resolute’ a north Canadian town to the north pole in a Toyota Hilux pick up truck.
more pics of this Toyota Hilux after the jump.
At first I thought who’d wanna watch a couple of grumpy old geezers trying to do what has never been done before. But then I went ahead, moved my lazy bum and watched it. Gotta give it to them, the episode was rivetingly hilarious.
Its a race between Jeremy Clarkson and James May driving a Toyota Hilux/Tacoma pick up truck and Richard Hammond on a sledge pulled by 10 husky dogs. After watching the episode, I couldn’t help but feel Hammond had to endure more than our Jeremy & James duo. Nevertheless this is a superbly made installment, which in every way lives upto its production standards. The visuals were stunning and I liked the soundtrack, especially the one from ‘Requiem for a Dream’. For some reason, every time I listen to it, this track always gives me a Goose skin, but thats a different story altogether.
What grabbed me more than anything else was the Toyota Hilux / Tacoma pickup truck they used. Maan! look at it… if it could kill… all the polar bears that come its way will be eaten to extinction. The first things that seize our attention are the massive 38-inch tyres housed in those bulged out ‘bigger than Arnies’s lats’ flared wheel-arches. These coupled with the heavy duty winch up front and not to forget the shotgun hanging out at the back of the truck, gives it an image that screams out its 4WD seriousness.
Enroute, the Icelandics claim it impossible to pass in a car, is something called a boulder field with terrain so unforgiving that it would rip out the truck’s under-body parts. With the temperatures reaching a dick-freezing -65°C, a lot of things like the truck’s mechanical parts could go wrong. Heck, even the fuel in the tank’d be frozen at those temperatures.
To defeat these extreme conditions, the Hilux has been fitted with parts like heavy duty locking differentials, thick skid plates, fuel heaters etc. The mods have been done by ‘Arctic Trucks’ a company that specializes in prepping 4WDs for extreme conditions. Here’s the list of mods if you are interested.
- Studded snow tires of 38 inches in diameter on 15 inch arctic trucks aluminium wheels replace the standard 255/65 R16 wheels and run at pressures as low as 4psi to give good flotation over snow. Two valves per wheel.
- Heavy duty winch mounted on a heavy duty bulbar with lifting points.
- Xenon auxillary driving lights for areas with bad visibility.
- Arches flared by 30cm to protect the tires.
- standard 169bhp 3.0 D-4D engine modified for ultra-low air temperatures.
- Extra coolant added to boost coolant temperature before start-up together with fuel heaters and a heavy duty battery.
- Fat 5mm aluminium skid plates protect the bumper, suspension, transmission and transfer case.
- The position of the front suspension was moved 50mm towards the ground, then moved forward 40mm.
- Lots of kits including shovels, pry-bars, jacks, towing strap, tool kits, first aid kits and a chain saw.
- Locking front and rear diffs modified to cope with the cold.
- Special exhaust, raised air intakes and an extra 90-litre fuel tank to increase the total capacity to 170-litres.
- Shotguns were carried for protection against polar bear attack.
I can’t just stress enough in writing, how much you need watch this episode in Hi-Def. ahem… If only you could somehow get your hands on one.
If you still haven’t figured out how to watch the Hi-Def version,
here are the lower quality ones from youtube
[Source: Toyota & Top Gear]
HOLY TOYOTA Geographicaly relocates JAPAN to NORTH POLE..
Way to GO..TOYOTA.
Hola queria saber si existe la posibilidad de conseguir los fenders que tiene en la hilux y cuales son sus medidas y si tiene un impòrtador en Argentina . espero su respuesta saludos Jorge
Hello queria to know if the possibility of obtaining fenders that exists it has in hilux and as they are his measures and if it has a impòrtador in Argentina. I wait for its answer greetings Jorge
I just watched this episode. Its is really worth watching. That was a hilux on more dope than a tour-de-france cyclist; it just kept right on going. A unit like this will have Misubishi Pajero/Shogun peeing its intercooler
@Leighton
lol… yes pal! and I feel this is the most dramatic journey of all TopGear adventures
All hail ‘The HILUX’… totally unbelivable… guess the dogs will be outta jobs. WHAT AN EPISODE!
the hilux…… a real sexy bitch and the episode is worth fortunes
this episode was awsome the comidy was exelent the screen shots were breathtaking and the car….. well i live in south wales and i have no use for it but i still want one. it was amazing
i have a hilux 2004 model which ma dad gifted me when i was in 11th grade and i am really proud of it….way to go TOYOTA
redlineblog,
nice post. I’m not a big pick-up truck type of guy, but when I saw that Hilux on Top Gear in HD, I almost lost my mind, it’s amazing enough said.
To watch it the episode on HD just visit
http://quicksilverscreen.com/watch?video=18432
robhi
thanx a lot robhi… for posting the link. u just made it a lot easier for the readers.
ME I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW CAN HAVE AN HILUX DIESEL IN NEW YORK BECAUSE I DO NOT SEEN AND NONE HERE AND THANKS A LOT LIKE ME.
I would like to do such a conversion to my toyota as shown. Espesially the suspension and tyre modification including the raised and flared wheel arches.
Sorry to tell you Robert getting a Hilux in north America will never happen apparently the model in north America that replace this truck is the Tacoma which I find doesn’t look like the Hilux but meh what I’m going to do is when I work in Europe buy one and pay to bring it home with my to Canada
but where can I buy the fenders for the truck.(can’t seem to find it on the internet)
Hey Corey..like yourself I’m Canada and would love to bring one of these trucks home.. They would beat the hell out of any Dodge, Ford or Chev where i live… have you researched about bringing one back over here? If so I’d be happy to hear what avenues a person needs to go to get one
Guys if you are looking for left hand drive hilux’s do a google search under the name “vigo” (hilux’s are made in Thailand and that is what they call them there) you can find left hand drive hilux’s there hope that helps
hiii
hlo
it´s a verygood images i love you all the people…
Hey Guys,
Im looking for the fenders to upgrage my truck, but i cant seem to find in on the net….. i ‘ve got a black toyota just like the monster in the pics and i really like the look !
stephan add me on msn xrafnxx@hotmail.com
I own one of these Hilux 2009 and they are a pleasure to drive. The engine is an amazing 3.0 cc. 4 cylinders, turbo diesel, comon rail, 163 hp, abs, dobble airbag. It’s fantastic!!!
Muiiiiiiiiiiitoooooooooooo lokoooooooooooooooooooooooo
that hilux is a red demond, i want mine too look like that, but i wouldnt thrash it about like they did.
How in Holy Hell do I get a Hilux with that Body KIT! I will do whatever it takes to get a truck that looks that good!
Hello! You just have to move to Iceland or Norway. Here we can buy new Hiluxes with that bodykit at the dealer!!
R, Norway.
a hilux will cost approx 50000 us dollars plus import duty/tax the basic arctic truck conversions start at 5000 us dollars (33inch tyres 16 inch wheels) the mid range conversion is 15000 us dollars (15 inch wheels 35 inch tyres) this looks like it will go to the north pole but dosent have any of the technical things like invertors fuel heaters and extra fuel tanks
the full conversion will cost 30000 us dollars for that you get everything except the gun
i hope this helps
p.s youtube.com
search
top gear killing a toyota part 1
part 2 (a)
part 2 (b)
do we get all this extra package from Thailand? I am planning to buy a hilux and would like some of this extra stuff for rough himalayan mountain driving.
thanks
Can you send me all pictures about this exelent pickup..
and i wanna know if you modific the motor cuz this truck dont have 4×4 and have a little motor of 4cil.
Please answer me my question.. and whats the cost of this hilux?
ugyen
the modification is from iceland by a company called arctic trucks
you will find it very hard to get any contact back from them as since the episode of top gear was aired they have been inundated with orders
you can also buy a similar conversion from the toyota dealers in iceland im not sure if its done by the same company
http://www.arctictrucks.com
http://www.toyota.is/cars/conversion/hilux_breyttur.aspx
also try a search for arctic trucks on youtube
Juan Luis i dont really understand the question but i dont think they change the engine as toyota have that pretty much sorted however they can change anything else the diffs and the suspension and on some they move the axels forward so the doors will still open with the massive tires some times they cange the gear ratios and if you have a small engine this will probably need doing
anymore questions ill try to answer as much as i can
hola si es posible quiero saber las medidas de para choques o defensa en donde estan instaladas las luces en la parte frontal de la camioneta.
gracias.
O carro dos meus sonhos^^.
Lindo de mais.