L'il engine, big truck?

[EdoHart]

Hilux = Toyota to the world outside the USA.

WTF!? Isn't a Hilux basically the foreign version of the Tacoma? Dimensions are the same, but looking at the specs, it has almost a 2000# payload, diesel and gets almost 30mpg in 5sp automatic. Why in the world aren't they selling that here?

I always thought Hilux was what everyone outside the USA called a Toyota (at least the trucks as I never saw a Hilux car in the news). A few examples can be found on WTW, such as

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1474&highlight=hilux
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1164&highlight=hilux

And my favorite:
http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=557&highlight=hilux

 

[pods8]

I always thought Hilux was what everyone outside the USA called a Toyota (at least the trucks as I never saw a Hilux car in the news). A few examples can be found on WTW, such as


If you look at that link I posted Toyota markets a midsized truck in other markets such as Europe called the hilux and its packing a diesel under the hood.

 

[EdoHart]

I think we agree.

If you look at that link I posted Toyota markets a midsized truck in other markets such as Europe called the hilux and its packing a diesel under the hood.

I followed that link. I was merely providing some history. What we in the USA have called Toyota, has been called Hilux in the rest of the world for many years. Even before they branded them "Tacoma." Which was my point.

 

[pods8]

I followed that link. I was merely providing some history. What we in the USA have called Toyota, has been called Hilux in the rest of the world for many years. Even before they branded them "Tacoma." Which was my point.

Right on. Now we just need to get some over here.

 

[Argonaut20]

Handwriting on the wall time

Does anyone here think the campers and trailers aren't going to get smaller and lighter to accommodate the vehicles of the future? I'm hoping that our car industry takes heed that energy is going to get more expensive, not less. It looks like Toyota has a model they can practically pull off the shelf which will meet the future mileage requirements. Let's hope Ford, GM, and Dodge don't continue to drop the ball. Choice is good. Finding something that will get us where we want to go without breaking the bank will be good.

 

[masterplumber]

Back to the original question of a truck that gets 35mpg. I'm not sure that's possible yet but it's definitely worth working toward if they can get the politicians & lobbyests to get out of the way. Over on the expo forum & in Overland journal they're working on an older fj60 wagon with a modern smal turbo diesel trying to get 30 mpg loaded & set up to safari in Africa - & their close. Part of the problem with the corporate mpg figures is they're not real world - the vehicles are tested empty at sea level on level smooth tracks. I think realisticly using current technology we could build a truck that could haul one of our campers loaded in the mountains & get an overall average of 20 - 22 mpg with somewhat higher at lower elevations on long level stretches. It would take parts from a few manufactures & maybe a little thinking about what is really needed & what are luxuries we could live without.

To start you do some wind tunnel testing & find the most areodynamic shape of all the bodies available. You make the vehicle as light as possible without sacrificing strength by getting rid of things like power windows, lock, seats, adjustable pedals, etc... & use lighter sound insulation like Dynamat instead of fiberglass. A diesel engine is probably the only choice right now & it would most likely be something we can't currently get here like a mid size Mercedes, Izuzu, International, Cummins, or Toyota motor. Couple that to a manual 6 speed with a good set of ratios. Add an underdrive behind that for the lower gears so you could run 3.73s or maybe even 3.50s in the axles. Then have a manual transfer case with the option of 2wd high & low range as well as 4wd hi & low range. have good strong axles that don't weigh more than needed with manuel hubs.

Well that's a start - I think better mileage can be had but don't get caught in the trap of thinking that if a little smaller is good a lot smaller is better - I've owned an '80 Mazda 2wd that did get 30 mpg empty but couldn't haul much of anything & I tried to work out of an '86 Toyota 4wd 4cyl that when loaded with only 1\2 of what I needed to do the job only averaged 14 - 15 mpg & went up the hils in 3rd & sometimes 2nd gear blocking everybody except the trash trucks - & that was close.

Doug