Toyota
Hilux Legend 45
Toyota
South Africa has come up with a one-off Hilux to celebrate the milestone set in
July by the pickup, and the special is quite the monster output-wise.
The
3.0 D-4D Legend 45, as it’s called, is equipped with a 5.0 litre V8 from the
Lexus IS-F, tweaked to offer 450 hp at 6,000 rpm – in a race configuration, the
mill is also seen in the Toyota Motorsports Hiluxes used in the South African
cross-country series.
The
specs of the unit are close to that of the race Hiluxes, but obviously the
special has been given enough to make it street-legal. Aside from the reworked
engine, there’s a Dakar-spec inlet manifold, a Pectel Cosworth engine
management system and an AIM electronic instrument panel, a full tubular
exhaust and a twin-plate AP racing clutch working with a standard D-4D
transmission.
Elsewhere,
the sump on the lump has been modified to make room for the Hilux’s front-axle
differential, and both front and rear diffs have been given revised gear ratios
to accomodate all that power. The power steering pump has also been upgraded
and the steering ratio upped to make for a quicker, responsive rack.
The
suspension has also been lowered by 50 mm, with fully-adjustable dampers on
call, and the brakes have also been upgraded, with 350 mm Power Bake discs and
billet calipers bolted on. Rounding off the rework are 18-inch wheels.
The
special cost about one million Rand to build, but has found a home with
Pretoria businessman Shabier Aboobaker. There are reportedly many other enquiries
for a similar job, though Toyota SA has said the project is very much a
one-off.
