Last year marked the 45th anniversary of the legendary Toyota Hilux, the current title-holder of South Africa’s best-selling vehicle. To commemorate this significant milestone, Toyota released the Legend 45, a new and improved version of the iconic Hilux which continues in series production for 2015.
To celebrate yet another Hilux achievement – its success in the 2015 Dakar Rally – Toyota launched a new special edition in the shape of the Hilux Dakar. It’s a fitting tribute to the rallying prowess of Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz who pulled off a class win (T1 Petrol) and an overall second place on the podium at the 2015 Dakar in the Toyota Imperial Hilux.
In keeping with its flagship status, the Hilux Dakar builds on the already impressive Legend 45 package, boasting additional aesthetic and cabin enhancements. The Dakar treatment is applied to all Legend 45 models, with 50 % of Legend production converted to Dakar models (to run for a period of three months).
According to Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing, this new model is “inspired by the extreme performance of the world’s most gruelling motorsport event where toughness is not just a pay-off line, it’s a prerequisite. People buy Hilux as a workhorse, a family vehicle, or as a mixture of both, which means they are attracted by its renowned ruggedness as well as its car-like comfort. Hilux Dakar delivers the best of both worlds.”
