Toyota planning new turbodiesel V6 for GR Hilux

Thursday, 2 April 2020

Toyota is working on a new turbocharged V6 diesel engine for the forthcoming Land Cruiser refresh and rumour has it, it'll appear in the high-performance GR Hilux as well.

That's according to Cars Guide, which reports output will 'exceed the 200kW and 650Nm on offer from the current V8 diesel in the LandCruiser 200 Series.'

Not only does that handily outclass the current Hilux's 130kW/450Nm but it will also beat the 157kW/500Nm Ford Ranger Raptor.

The long-rumoured GR Hilux could be based on the Dakar racer pictured here.

The report comes a few weeks after Toyota trademarked the GR Hilux name in Australia, hinting at an upcoming debut for the performance ute.

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Being a GR model, it will feature upgrades outside of the powertrain as well. Hopefully it'll be able to do stuff like this!

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Toyota is said to be readying an update to the Hilux range, which should include more power, a new look and more tech.

* Toyota trademarks GR Hilux name in Oz

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We already know that any Toyota vehicle given the 'GR' prefix will come with 'noticeable' performance upgrades, which aren't restricted to the powertrain alone. That means we should expect a proper Raptor competitor on and off-road, as opposed to just a more powerful Hilux.

Toyota has previously indicated a GR Hilux could be based on the brand's Dakar racer.

We could see the hi-po ute quite soon too, as Toyota is apparently readying an update for its tradie workhorse. It should be quite a good one too, consisting of a design facelift, new tech and some improvements to the mechanicals for the cooking models.

There's no word on what the design changes will resemble but the new tech should include infotainment upgrades including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Toyota already offers its Safety Sense package across the Hilux range as standard so there could be additional improvements on that front too.

As for under the hood, no figures were given but motoring.com.au says a 'modest' power increase can be expected, bumping output above the current 130kW/450Nm (auto) and 130kW/420Nm (manual).

A fix for the engine's problematic diesel particulate filter (DPF) will almost certainly be a part of the new engine package.

No dates were offered either. It shouldn't be far away, given a new generation of Hilux has been linked to a 2023 debut. The new model may merge the platforms of the Hilux and Tacoma, which could allow the larger pick-up to be sold locally.