Mega-rare 1996 Toyota Mega Cruiser — that point Toyota made a Hummer

In the USA, the Land Cruiser has traditionally occupied the highest spot within the Toyota off-roader hierarchy. In Japan, the corporate briefly bumped the Land Cruiser down a notch by providing a large, Hummer H1-like mannequin aptly named Mega Cruiser throughout the Nineteen Nineties. Solely a handful of items have been constructed and none have been formally offered in the USA, but a uncommon left-hand-drive instance is listed on Automobiles & Bids.

Just like the H1, the Mega Cruiser has a soldier’s DNA. It traces its roots to the BXD10, a rugged off-roader developed for the Japanese military and launched within the Nineteen Nineties. Toyota turned the BXD10 into the Mega Cruiser (which known as BXD20 internally) in 1996 by making quite a few adjustments inside and outside. It notably redesigned the entrance finish, developed a closed-top physique, and created a extra civilian-friendly inside. What did not considerably change have been the jumbo dimensions: The truck stretches 200.3 inches lengthy, 85.4 inches extensive, and 81.6 inches tall.

Toyota powered the Mega Cruiser with a 4.1-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine rated at round 155 horsepower and 282 pound-feet of torque. The engine spun the 4 wheels through a four-speed automated transmission, a two-speed switch case, and portal axles for about 16.5 inches of floor clearance. Whereas 155 horsepower is not a lot for an almost 6,300-pound truck, the Mega Cruiser can haul over 1,600 kilos.

What number of examples of the Mega Cruiser have been constructed relies upon largely on who you ask, however the common consensus is that manufacturing stopped after lower than 150 vehicles have been constructed. Toyota solely offered the mannequin in Japan, however a small handful of items have ventured past the Land of the Rising Solar. Discovering one in the USA is simpler stated than finished, and the instance listed on Automobiles & Bids is especially noteworthy as a result of it has been transformed to left-hand-drive. It additionally options quite a few modifications like leather-based upholstery and wooden inside trim.

What’s it wish to drive? Effectively, Automobiles & Bids founder Doug DeMuro summed it up fairly nicely: “I simply love the truth that I am in a Hummer however made by Toyota. It is like each off-roader’s dream.” It is actually not quick or nimble, but it surely needs to be almost unstoppable off the overwhelmed path.

If a Land Cruiser is just a little too small and a Hummer H1 is a tad too mundane, head on over to Automobiles & Bids and take a look at this 1996 Mega Cruiser. It is positioned and titled in Colorado, and bidding at present stands at $75,000 with about 4 days left within the seven-day public sale.