TOYOTA has launched full particulars of its HiLux GR Sport this week, the Dakar Rally-inspired flagship arriving from $73,990 plus on-road prices and in showrooms courtesy of a improvement program led extensively by the Toyota Conversion staff based mostly in Avalon, Victoria.
The off-road version of one in every of Australia’s best-selling autos contains modified chassis and suspension elements, visible and aerodynamic upgrades, a bump up in energy and torque, styling and safety components and inside enhancements that purpose to raise the mannequin’s capabilities past these of the second-from-top HiLux Rogue, with which the GR Sport shares a lot of its structure.
And in response to Toyota Australia vp of gross sales, advertising and franchise operations, Sean Hanley, the HiLux GR Sport just isn’t the tip of the highway for related, domestically developed fashions.
Chatting with GoAuto on the latest launch of the HiLux GR Sport, Mr Hanley mentioned the potential of the Toyota Conversion facility permits breadth past HiLux alone.
He mentioned Toyota Australia will provide not solely a HiLux variant to take a seat atop the GR Sport from subsequent 12 months, but in addition has the scope to reinforce different fashions within the vary, together with the same-platform-based Fortuner SUV.
“We’re very fortunate in as far as we’ve got a (native) Toyota conversion centre – and we solely set that up 4 or 5 years in the past – which helps us to develop a broader vary of autos, as we’ve demonstrated with the Rugged-X and Rogue, and now the GR Sport, which is lifting {our capability} on a regular basis,” he mentioned.
“We do intend to broaden upon that functionality, and it’s an space the place there’s the capability to do these kinds of issues going ahead … we definitely have the potential to do extra autos of this sort – extra conversions and extra customisations – sooner or later.”
When requested about the potential for a Fortuner GR Sport, Mr Hanley mentioned that “nothing is off the desk”, and that inside cause any car within the vary could possibly be a contender for localised enhancement – supplied the enterprise case stacks up.
“We’d by no means rule it (a Fortuner GR Sport) out as a result of it’s an space the place folks need extra customisation, extra functionality, and extra choices,” Mr Hanley instructed GoAuto.
“In the event you look take the HiLux for example, we will transfer on many fronts to reinforce the providing for Australian prospects, and we merely couldn’t try this with out the superior facility and staff that’s Toyota Conversions.
“As we go ahead, I anticipate that capability will solely improve.”
Generally phrases, Toyota is widening its GR Sport vary to embody virtually each mannequin in its portfolio.
Domestically, the fire-breathing GR Sport Yaris and Corolla hatch are already attracting a cult-like following, filling the void left by the demise of the likes of the Subaru WRX STi and Mitsubishi Evolution.
The GR Sport flag can be flown at full mast on the BMW Z4-based GR Supra and Subaru BRZ-based GR86, and adorns the fully-equipped and go-anywhere LandCruiser 300 Collection.
As for what would possibly come subsequent, we will solely say ‘watch this house’.
