Toyota Hilux with unique Antarctic : Expedition 4600 km through the most inhospitable part of the world

2010 Toyota Hilux - Expedition 4600 km through the most inhospitable part of the world

COLOGNE : December 23, 2010 - The Toyota Hilux is unstoppable. First he drove to the North Pole and then took the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull. Now the pick-up has mastered another extraordinary challenge with flying colors: he has the coldest and lebensfeindlichste region of the world - crossing to reach the South Pole - Antarctica.


Between 10 November and the 5th December 2010 carried four Toyota Hilux Expedition Members of the Indian National Centre for Antarctica and Ocean Research (NCAOR) on a 4600 km long round trip from the Novo Air Base to the South Pole and back safely. The aim of the trip were studies on the composition of the snow, the glaciers and the rocks below the ice.

The four were produced at Toyota Hilux Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM), the main production site of the Hilux for European market. The vehicles were the Icelandic Toyota 4x4 conversion specialists at Arctic Trucks prepared for the expedition. For the Hilux Arctic Trucks is due to his 40-year-old history of quality and reliability have long dominated the first choice - even in extreme driving conditions.

With the prospect of temperatures down to minus 56 degrees Celsius and up to 3,400 meters and the harshest environment imaginable, NCAOR chose for this remarkable expedition to the Hilux. Because he has several unique characteristics that are essential for the survival of the most inhospitable continent in the world.

Given the extreme conditions, the average fuel consumption was limited. Although less efficient fuel was used, the vehicle was operated around the clock, and an additional heating system was switched on permanently, the fuel consumption was a factor of 8 below the consumption of tracked vehicles. This allowed the fuel costs, pollutant emissions and entrained fuel quantity can be reduced significantly. Only one fuel stop had to be inserted in between - about 1,500 kilometers away from the starting point of the expedition.

The vehicles used in the expedition combined an empty weight of only 2.2 tonnes with a payload of 1.5 tonnes and three tonnes of towing capacity - an essential feature for the transport of expedition equipment, spare parts, operators and 1,280 liters of fuel per vehicle. Furthermore, this expedition with much higher average speed driven than any similar expedition before.

The by Arctic Trucks implemented modifications to the structure of a crane, the use of Jet 1A fuel with additional lubricants for extreme cold, the revision of Rauf suspension and drive train, an additional heating system, crawler gears, and the interpretation mentioned by on oversized tires with an air pressure only 2 bars in the 3.0-liter D-4D diesel engine completed the entire journey in its original state and thus provided a striking example of the legendary quality, durability and reliability of the Toyota Hilux.

As the world's leading model in the pick-up segment offered in more than 160 Toyota Hilux has been in this unique challenge once more his steadfastness to the test.

Images : 2010 Toyota Hilux - Expedition 4600 km through the most inhospitable part of the world

[Source : TOYOTA]