Powered by a 5.0-litre V8 engine from the Lexus IS F
Toyota South Africa sold its one millionth Hilux pickup to a businessman in Pretoria, Shabier Aboobaker, back in July, 2015. The one millionth Toyota Hilux was a single cab Legend 45 model powered by 3.0-litre D-4D engine producing 163 PS peak power at 3,400 rpm and 343 Nm of torque at 1,400 rpm, mated to a 5-speed manual transmission system.
To celebrate sales of over one million units, Toyota South Africa has built, with help from Toyota Motorsport, a one-off performance model of the Hilux, called the 'Toyota Hilux Racing Experience,' a road-legal version of the off-road race-spec Hilux driven by a 5.0-litre V8 motor, to build which, the head of Toyota Motorsport, Glyn Hall, sourced the V8 engine from the Lexus IS F. This engine was then tuned to dish out 455 PS (335 kW) peak power at 6,000 rpm.
Not just that, the specifications of the engine are closely related to the racing version of the Toyota Hilux, as it consists of the Pectel Cosworth engine management system, a Dakar-spec inlet manifold, a full tubular exhaust and a twin-plate AP racing clutch. The gearbox is a 5-speed, and power is sent to all the wheels.
Further, the front and rear differentials of the one-off Hilux are modified, brakes are made more effective, tyres are shod on 18-inch alloy wheels and suspension system uses a sportier setup, with the ride height lowered by 50 mm.
The one-off Hilux has costed the company around ZAR 1 million (approximately USD 72,150 or INR 48 lakhs) to build. Toyota South Africa has no plan as of now, to launch such a powerful Hilux model even as a special/limited edition, despite a few interested buyers.
