Were you one of those people who loved to play with Tonka trucks as a child? Did you ever wish you could have a life sized one that you could actually drive? If you said yes, then you dreams are about to come true. Toyota has now made a life sized Tonka truck. The designers for the company that are in Australia have actually build the concept HiLux pickup. The best part is that it is designed after the classic Tonka trucks you know and love.
Childhood Dreams Come True
To make it look like a Tonka truck, they had to do some modifications. They started with a 2016 SR5 double cab HiLux truck. From there, they added a 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to make it a bit more powerful. They also raised it up another six inches so it would look a bit more like a Tonka truck. The design team also wanted to make it it was ready for any and all off-roading so they made sure the added a heavy-duty suspension system. They also added 35-inch tires. For the final touches, they added a snorkel, which is something that not only looks like Tonka but can also come in handy in Australia during the rainy season, a light bar, and a great paint job. Once you see it, you will want to drive it because it will be amazing and take you back to your days playing in the sand box.
The Reason Behind the Design
As much as we want to believe they did this just because it was cool, Toyota actually had a few reasons why they decided to design this life size Tonka truck. They chose to make it from the HiLux truck because the truck became the best-selling vehicle in 2016 and they wanted to commemorate it. They also combined this with the anniversaries for both Toyota and Tonka around the world. This year, Toyota celebrates its 80th anniversary while Tonka celebrates its 70th anniversary. While these are some great reasons for this amazing creation, it is not what is making everyone so excited. What is exciting is that it is something that represents your inner child and it is finally real. It simply looks like a ton of fun and you can actually drive it.
Seeing it for Yourself
Unfortunately, since it was made in Australia, it will be staying there for some time. If you live there or are planning a trip, you should take a look at their tour of it through June. They have some planned stops for people to view the creation. However, if you will not be there, for now, we will have to be okay with the pictures we have of it. However, depending on how well it is received by people in Australia and around the world, Toyota may consider actually making a few more or bringing it to the United States for a tour around the country that we can enjoy.
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