European Hiluxes can now be had with this sexy Arctic get-up. What chance in SA?
This Hilux Legend looks different because it is. Toyota in Europe has teamed up with famous cross-country engineering firm Arctic Trucks to offer this Hilux AT35 as a significantly upscaled version of the recently upgraded bakkie.
ARCTIC IS BASED ON A LEGEND
The Arctic edition actually revive the hardcore AT35 kit, which was available on previous Hiluxes on those markets. The new AT35 is based on the bakkie known locally as the Legend (they call top-end versions Invincible over the sea) and the kit adds modifications to the Hilux’s chassis, suspension and styling. They tell us it delivers “even greater off-road capability.”
One of the coolest aspect of this conversion are AT35 receives flared wheel arches, extended side steps and bespoke badging. Additional options include an underbody ‘armour’ package, front light bar and an on-board tyre inflation/deflation device.
The heart of the matter is however AT35’s all-new Arctic Trucks Bilstein performance suspension system, which brings bespoke springs and dampers at the front, an adjustable anti-roll bar and extended shackles at the rear. The 35 bit of its new name comes from the AT’s 35-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain tyres, which help raise the AT35 a further 65 mm above the ground clearance, while also increasing improving approach and departure angles by nine and three degrees respectively.
DIFF RATIOS ADAPTED TO BIGGER RUBBER
Crucially AT35’s front and rear differentials are re-geared to accommodate the changes in those big tyres’ rolling circumference. Arctic also promises ‘superior mobility from the wider front and rear tracks, wider tyres and a a larger, lighter footprint for more secure driving over soft and delicate terrain’. The larger tyres are also said to reduce harshness when traversing rough terrain at elevated speeds.
The AT35 is 90mm wider, 90mm taller and 115kg heavier than a tandard legends. A 43kg increase in payload to 1053kg is a bonus too. Not much else changes – the latest 150 kW 500 Nm 2.8 ‘GD6’ lump continues to deliver its improved grunt through the good old six-speed automatic gearbox, which performance should not be much affected thanks to those diff ratio tweaks.
The Toyota Hilux AT35 is a fully manufacturer-approved conversion and available to order direct from Toyota in Europe at an , with prices starting from around R380K plus VAT on top of the purchase price of a R860K Hilux Legend. Our Toyota SA plant knows of no specific plans AK35 at this point, but we are digging deeper and will keep you posted!
