While Ford showed the Ranger, and Mazda premiered the BT50, Toyota went one step further by displaying the modified HiLux ute used by TV show Top Gear to reach the magnetic North Pole and Finland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano.
In fact the bright red HiLux is almost as far removed from the standard model as a V8 Supercar is from a base Commodore or Falcon.
Created by Arctic Trucks in Reykjavik, Iceland, the modifications included moving the front suspension forwards by 40mm, lowering it by 50mm and providing 40mm of lift plus fitting a heater to keep the fuel from freezing. Special 38-inch wheels replaced the standard 16-inch wheels with two air-valves per wheel and studded tyres.
Externally, gun racks were fitted to house rifles needed to keep attacking polar bears away.
There were other major changes needed to give the HiLux (and its occupants!) any chance of surviving the conditions. During the run to the Pole, the special HiLux (and the support vehicles) were required to endure temperatures as low as –36 degrees.
