For some time, the Ford Ranger Raptor has been high performance pickup truck on many buyers’ lists. That might change soon as Toyota prepares to field their challenger.
That challenger is the Hilux GR Sport. Based on the Hilux pickup many are already familiar with, the GR Sport adds Gazoo Racing upgrades in order to bump up the vehicles looks and performance to match, if not overtake the Raptor completely.
Unveiled during the recent Toyota Gazoo Racing Vios Cup this weekend, the Hilux GR Sport is easy to differentiate from the regular Hilux. It boasts of a wider track and more aggressive Dakar-style wheel arches to give it a more rugged off-road look.
Most evident is the new ‘TOYOTA’ lettering on the grille and a GR badge. The wheel arches get wide wider flairs to accommodate the larger 17-inch black wheels Bridgestone Dueler tires. On the pickup bed are wing-shaped Dakar-inspired sport bars. These are designed to allow the installation of a roller bed cover while still maintaining the look. It also gets Gazoo Racing red shocks and springs for improved performance.
To match the exterior, the truck’s cabin gets some sporty enhancements as well. These start with a leather-wrapped steering wheel complete with paddle shifters, red center stripe, and GR logo. GR logos adorn the headrests of the front sports seats. They’re paired with red seat belts throughout the cabin. On the floor are aluminum sport pedals. Ahead of the driver is a sporty dashboard and a unique GR Sport shift lever.
Moving this sporty truck is a highly tuned version of the 2.8-liter 1GD engine. It’s been modified to produce an astonishing 224-horsepower and 550-Nm of torque. In case you don’t quite remember, that’s more than the Raptor. It’s paired with a six-speed automatic with manual mode and paddle shifters.
Reigning in all that power are some serious brakes. It gets four-piston brake calipers in front and disc brakes in the rear with single-piston calipers.
Finally, the best news of all is its price. The new Hilux GR Sport will be priced at just P2.166 million. Toyota dealers are set to accept orders for the vehicle later in the week. It’s certainly an unexpected challenge to the current performance pickup. Then again, the pickup race may just be starting to heat up as Mitsubishi is set to launch its new Triton soon.