Share

50 and still looking good - Toyota unleashes special edition Hilux Invincible 50 bakkie

accreditation
<i>Image: Motorpress</i>
<i>Image: Motorpress</i>

The Toyota Hilux’s first 50 years have been packed with achievement, its status as a world-beating machine confirmed by feats such as the conquest of both North and South Poles, scaling the slopes of an erupting volcano and surviving ordeals of fire, water and explosives courtesy of the Top Gear television programme.

To mark this exceptional half-century, Toyota has created a new and exclusive Hilux, the Hilux Invincible 50.

This special edition has been engineered in partnership with Arctic Trucks, the Iceland-based specialists in extreme terrain driving.

The modifications include a performance suspension system by Arctic Trucks and Bilstein. The Toyota Hilux Invincible will be available for UK customers only.

New and improved

The new 16 x 7.5 ET05 alloy wheels are specific to the Invincible 50, finished in satin black with a machined lip and fitted with 265/75R16 BF Goodrich KO2 all-terrain tyres.

WATCH: Toyota launches limited edition Hilux Dakar bakkie

The special wheel and tyre combination gives Hilux even greater off-road capability, with more ground clearance (the vehicle is raised by 40mm at the front and 20mm at the rear), added articulation and increased approach and departure angles.

This is not to the detriment of smooth and confident on-road performance.

New styling features include bespoke, wider front and rear wing treatments that amplify the vehicle’s raised stance and muscular character.

A double-hoop sports bar is fitted over the vehicle bed, providing a raised platform for a battery of four high-power Vision X lights.

These multi-source LED units project a smooth and powerful light over a great distance, on all driving terrains.

Toyota Hilux Invincible 50

                                                                            Image: Motorpress

Other details include rear Arctic Trucks mudflaps, rear parking sensors, a tough Line-X bed liner and classic Toyota tailgate graphic.

A numbered "Invincible 50" plaque is featured in the cabin.

Detailed to the tee

Invincible 50 chromed badging and detailing are featured on the wings, wheels, doors, tailgate, sports bar, lighting and interior. All vehicles are finished in black paintwork.

In other aspects, the Invincible 50 matches the specification of the standard Hilux Invincible, a double-cab model powered by a turbo-diesel engine with six-speed auto transmission.

Toyota Hilux Invincible 50 rear

                                                                      Image: Motorpress

Key equipment features include Toyota Safety Sense with Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Warning and Road Sign Assist, cruise control, dusk-sensing headlights, Toyota Touch 2 with Go multimedia system with navigation and connectivity for accessing web-based apps, automatic aircon, smart entry and start and rear privacy glass.

Locally, the Hilux has been South Africa’s best-selling model for decades – amassing more than a million units since introduction in the late 1960s. This year, the Hilux has already sold 30 524, which equates to about 30% of total Toyota sales for 2018 year-to-date.

'Rugged workhorse credentials'

Senior vice president of Toyota South Africa, Calvyn Hamman, said: "The Hilux’s evolutionary progress through the generations has produced a vehicle with the ideal combination of superlative off-road driving manners, car-like refinement, plus rugged workhorse credentials. 

"More than perhaps any other Hilux generation, this seventh iteration has seen numerous, successive improvements throughout its life, each of which has enabled the model to consistently exceed consumer needs and assure its place right at the top of the sales charts."

Toyota Hilux Invincible 50

                                                                          Image: Motorpress

Hamman said: "It’s undoubtedly the purest distillation of toughness and versatility you’ll ever find in pick-up and, best of all, it’s rooted in the guiding principles of Toyota’s QDR (Quality, Durability and Reliability)."

Order books for the new Toyota Hilux Invincible 50 will open on 1 November with customer deliveries through December into the New Year. The price – to be announced shortly – will be accessible for genuine Hilux enthusiasts, notwithstanding the model’s bespoke engineering and high equipment specification.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE