A Jet-Fueled Toyota Hilux Cruises Around Antarctica
Tim Esterdahl | Apr 10, 2012 | Comments 3
Need to cruise down to Antarctica. Forget gas, really add some power with jet fuel. That is what the Toyota Hilux recently did on an expedition down to the southern continent.
How cool is this picture? The Toyota Hilux drove some 5,900 miles around Antarctica while setting a world record for the longest driving expedition.
How did the trucks deal with the cold? That is where the jet fuel came in. By using this fuel, the 3.0-liter diesel engines were able to keep with the conditions. And like most off-roading adventures, fuel economy varied greatly between the coastal regions and the high plateau.
Besides using jet fuel, the trucks were giving a ton of other modifications including:
- Massive tires, 17 times larger than stock
- New larger fender flares
- Moving the front axle forward, so tires could clear front door
- Reinforced suspension and drivetrain
While driving around the snow and ice, the tires were run at a very low pressure to increase the amount of tire surface hitting the surface.
Even with the increased suspension, allowing the truck to carry up to 1.3 tons of supplies, they were aided by a fuel depot and a weather station set up for scientists.
This isn’t the first time, however, that a Hilux has gone to the South or North Pole. There have been many treks including trips in 2008, 2009 and 2010. And Top Gear’s North Pole Special featured the hosts becoming the first people to drive to the North Pole.
Why the Hilux? Simply put, it is the perfect truck to take due to its compact size and virtual indestructability. It is so solidly built, Top Gear tried in vain to destroy it a few years back. It also was a popular truck with the Taliban and became iconic in its role in the Libyan revolution.
This is just the latest feather in the cap for the Hilux as its popularity world-wide continues to rise.
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Filed Under: Auto News
-Tim
Finally a solution to the many problems of ice cap driving!
But seriously, although this is a bit of a stunt, it does address the issues of driving in freezing conditions and below, which although personally I avoid 90% of the year, it’s nice to know there’s an answer out there.
Now to get my hands on some of those XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXL tyres!
Nice adventure run! Not only does it show how elite the machine is it also displays how good Toyota is as company. Toyota may have actually shown the world that the company itself can address almost all kinds of terrain from the summer tropics to the freezing ice caps. Well done!
Now i just need to save money to buy those humongous tires!
Well this is actually pretty kick @$$, haha pardon my language, but the look of the modified Toyota’s is pretty sweet and I know you all agree!