Toyota HiLux GR Sport revealed in São Paulo
Popular dual-cab ute gets sporty livery, suspension tweaks, and equipment enhancements for South America.
Toyota has used the São Paulo motor show in Brazil to reveal the HiLux GR Sport, a sport-themed version of its top-selling ute featuring various enhancements from the company's Gazoo Racing performance division.
Before you ask, it's not a Ranger Raptor rival. The HiLux GR Sport is more or less a visual and equipment package rather than a standalone performance variant – much like the dark-themed Rogue available locally.
The HiLux GR Sport is based on the flagship SRX variant available in South America, adding stiffer front springs, monotube dampers, Gazoo Racing exterior graphics, a new honeycomb grille insert with 'Toyota' badging, matte black wheel arch extensions, a black bonnet and roof, side steps, 17-inch alloys with all-terrain tyres, and GR badging.
Inside, there's GR-branded bits for the starter button, carpet mats, and embroidered headrests. There's also white instrument illumination and a numbered plaque below the gearshift.
Power continues to come from the same 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel as high-spec versions of the standard model, making 130kW of power and 450Nm of torque. The GR Sport is solely available with a six-speed automatic and four-wheel drive in Latin America.
The HiLux GR Sport will be built, at least initially, at Toyota's Zarate plant in Argentina.
Australia
A spokesperson for Toyota Australia said:
"The HiLux GR concept is currently a study for the South American market only and there are currently no plans to bring that particular model to Australia.
Having recently released the Rugged, Rugged X and Rogue to fulfil a similar market need for a HiLux that can be used more recreationally, we believe that this concept would need to be studied in more detail before any solid plans are made.
Nonetheless, we always like to keep tabs on global HiLux programs like these and are always studying possibilities for any new product that would meet our market needs."
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