Has Toyota just revealed the start of the Hilux GR series – paving the way for South Africa’s favourite to get the V6 used in the recently introduced Land Cruiser 300 diesel V6?
The countdown to the new Hilux GR has officially started, with the releases of the Hilux Z GR overseas. This bakkie it looks bigger and, according to sources, the steering will be better in the brand’s double cab range. The biggest improvements will be under the skin, with the Z GR receiving an upgrade on handling and steering through the retuning of the suspension resulting in better handling, sharper steering response and less body roll
According to Toyota Global the Z GR Sport will be 45mm wider than the standard Hilux thanks to dedicated wheel arches giving it a total width of 1 900mm, up from the 1 855mm currently on the Legend. The front grill is to be replaced, sporting Toyota instead of the elliptical logo along with a new front bumper. The rear bumper gets some gloss black trim along with GR insignia. Red brake callipers, stamped with the GR logo are hidden behind the 18-inch alloy wheels.
Inside the interior has black synthetic leather with red stitching, with the GR logo emblazoned on the head rest. is branded with the GR logo. The steering wheel has a racing look and behind it hides paddles shifters for the auto box.
For now, the engine remains the same. For us to see a change in that, we will have to wait for the full GR Hilux expected to be released with the new generation in the next year or two. We expect that it would then share the diesel from the LC 300, and that should make it the most powerful double cab in the country.
Back in 2018 Toyota hinted that it would be looking for a “big diesel” to power the GR Hilux suggesting that a petrol engine would not cur it for the GR model. The problem at that point is that there was that there was no such an engine available. But this all changed with the release of the LC 300 and its new powerful V6 diesel.
Toyota SA is yet to officially confirm a GR Hilux. But Adventure Afrika believes that it is unlikely that we will see a full GR version in the current generation which makes the exciting wait for the next gen so much sweeter.
