Toyota has brought the famous children’s Tonka toy to life with a one-off concept vehicle based on the new Toyota Hilux. The collaboration celebrates Tonka’s 70th and Toyota’s 80th anniversaries.
Nicolas Hogios, product design chief, said: “We have taken Tonka out of the sand pit and reinvented Hilux from top to bottom and nose to tail.”
The black and yellow double cab was created by Toyota Australia. It sits high above the ground, with a 150mm increase in ride height over the standard Hilux. The Hilux Tonka has 35-inch diameter tyres and a tailgate which is released by a lightweight strap. The load deck is fitted with a fire extinguisher, axe, shovel and high-lift jack.
The Hilux was Australia’s best-selling vehicle in 2016, with more than 920,000 bought in the year to the end of February 2017.
Readers may be disappointed to learn that the Hilux Tonka Concept is not destined for dealer showrooms. Instead, the model will tour 4WD shows, field days and expos in Australia.
