Toyota GR Hilux to take on Ford Ranger Raptor In Australia?
Toyota is looking to replicate Ford’s success in the performance truck segment. A new trademark filed in Australia indicates that a GR Hilux is being developed for that particular market. We know off-roaders like the 2nd-generation
Fortuner was largely developed by Toyota’s Australian team, but the likelihood of the current generation Hilux being completely upgraded from the ground up to take on the Ford Ranger Raptor seems low. That’s because the facelifted model is already readying for launch this year. Perhaps the final version of the GR Hilux will debut on the next generation Hilux which is said to be due in 2023. But that’s a long time for Toyota.
What’s more likely is that the GR Hilux will be initially offered in Australia with a slightly uprated 2.8-litre diesel, some performance shock absorbers, off-road tyres, some off-roading equipment as standard, and a more aggressive grille, paint and decal package.
Will it come to Malaysia? Probably not. Australia’s Hilux is built in Thailand, while ours is put together in Shah Alam. But you never know!
This GR Hilux is not to be confused with the Hilux GR Sport (Pictured throughout article). The Hilux GR Sport is a trim package of the regular Hilux while the GR Hilux is said to be a more performance-tuned version of the vehicle.
Ford did the seemingly impossible in late 2018 when it introduced the Ranger Raptor to the Malaysian market. The initial batch of vehicles sold out in a flash despite it being priced around RM200,000. In the coming years, it’s likely other pick-up truck manufacturers will start to see the logic in going down this path too.
About the Author
Subhash Nair Written work on dsf.my. @subhashtag on instagram. Autophiles Malaysia on Youtube.
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