In promising news for Toyota Kirloskar Motor, its Hilux off-roading pickup truck has bagged a deal with the Indian Army. In fact, the first batch of off-roaders has already been received by the Indian Army. It already uses some iconic products like the Maruti Gypsy, Mahindra Scorpio Classic, Tata Xenon, and Tata Safari Storme. Most of these vehicles have been modified by their respective carmakers in order to withstand extreme climate and altitude conditions. They have been doing the job for the country for a long time now. Going forward, Toyota will also get a chance to offer its Hilux pickup to serve the nation.
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Toyota Hilux for Indian Army
This first batch of pickup trucks has been received after it was put through two months of rigorous testing and evaluation by the Northern Command of the Indian Army’s Technical Evaluation Committee. These tests include extremely rough and treacherous terrains and extreme weather conditions. In fact, the Hilux was taken to over 13,000 feet and to sub-zero temperatures during this testing. After being satisfied with the performance, the Indian Army ordered the first batch of the Hilux pickup truck.
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The Army said, “We are happy to receive the first fleet of Toyota Hilux, which measures up to the requirements of the Indian Army. We acknowledge TKM’s support to customise the Hilux, passing through our stringent road tests with its strong off-roading strengths and extreme performance under stringent weather, difficult terrain conditions, which is key to our requirements. We look forward to utilising this fleet of Hilux for the purposes meant.” This clearly indicates that Toyota might make a few changes to customise it as per the needs of the Indian defence forces.
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Specs
The Hilux shares the same diesel engine found in the Fortuner. It’s a robust 2.8-litre mill capable of generating a healthy 201 hp and 420 Nm of peak power and torque (500 Nm with automatic transmission). This engine can be paired with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Notably, all Hilux variants come equipped with a 4-wheel-drive system as standard, and unlike the Fortuner, there is no petrol engine option available. The ex-showroom prices of the Hilux range from Rs 30.40 lakh to Rs 37.90 lakh.
