What might just be the ultimate Toyota tough truck has been revealed, with the HiLux Black Bison Edition unveiled in Japan.
Unfortunately, though, there's a catch. The Black Bison Edition isn't a product of Toyota itself (despite the world crying out for a performance-flavoured HiLux). Instead, it's the slightly deranged work of Japanese tuning house Wald International. And it's fair to say the workers there haven't held back.
Where do we start? With the trio of exhaust tips now poking out from the side of this buffed-up HiLux? The huge and pop-riveted wheel arches looming over the 22-inch wheels wrapped in off-road rubber? Or the new, and huge, bonnet bulges?
Nope, for ours, you've got to start with the sheer size of the thing, with the mods adding to the HiLux's already considerable bulk, with the fender extensions, new front bumper, LED-fitted front roof spoiler, rear gate spoiler and spats combining to make this thing looks properly massive, and properly menacing.
What's a little less menacing, I'm afraid, is what's under the bonnet. While Wald International hasn't specifically called it out, we're left to assume the Bison is rocking Toyota's 2.8-litre diesel engine good for 130kW and 450Nm. Not small numbers, but still not enough to stop a Ford Ranger Raptor pulling away from you.
Now it must be said, the Bison is a product of Wald International only, and there's no word on Toyota using it as inspiration any time soon.
But we can dream, right?
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold.
But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul.
And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard.
When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House.
But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others.
More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
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