Toyota builds a 1:1 scale Tamiya Bruiser RC truck

Reese Counts
Updated

For many car enthusiasts, a passion for automobiles started as a child playing with toys like Tonka Trucks or RC cars. If there's any modern vehicle that truly represents a full-sized toy, it might just be the Toyota Hilux. Toyota, in an effort to tap into some of that nostalgia, has created a 1:1 scale version of the Tamiya Bruiser. While the standard Bruiser looks like a 1:10 scale version of an '80s Toyota truck, this 1:1 truck is really just a full-size RC car, complete with radio antenna and a giant power switch in the bed.

While this truck may wear the old Bruiser's "Hog Heaven" blue and white livery, it's based on the modern Toyota Hilux. The truck was built the Arctic Trucks, the same group that built the Polar Hilux that the "Top Gear" crew drove to the North Pole. While this new truck isn't quite as extreme, it looks way cooler. Everything on the Tamiya Bruiser, from the white rock sliders to the hood pins to the "Prepared by Gearich Engineering" logo are present. There's even decals for fake screws to compliment the power switch and antenna. Unfortunately, the louvered rear-window cover is just a decal.

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While the Tamiya Bruiser is based off a regular-cab truck, the Hilux uses an extended-cab model. The extra area is painted white to mimic the original truck's partial bed cover. The 17-inch chrome wheels wear 305/80 R17 section BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A tires. The truck is also fitted with new Fox Shox suspension, flared wheel arches and a new gear ratio in the rear differential. The truck is powered by a 148 horsepower turbo diesel inline-four. Power is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.

While we don't get the Hilux in the U.S., Toyota hasn't forgotten about its American fanbase. A couple years ago it created an homage to the black Toyota truck from "Back to the Future." Here's hoping for more cool concepts in the future.

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Toyota builds a 1:1 scale Tamiya Bruiser RC truck originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Oct 2017 14:50:00 EDT.