Toyota Mega Cruiser - Did You Know This Truck Existed?

Toyota Mega Cruiser - Did You Know This Truck Existed?

 

The Toyota Mega Cruiser is a large, heavy-duty four wheel drive vehicle introduced by Toyota in 1995. The largest 4WD ever built by Toyota, it resembled the Hummer H1, and like the Hummer, was designed primarily for military use with the Mega Cruiser seeing duty as infantry transports, equipped with mounted howitzers and mobile Surface-to-air missiles in the Japan Self Defense Forces. The civilian version is known as a BXD20 and the military version as the BXD10.
Exclusively sold in Japan, the Mega Cruiser also was used by prefectural police and fire/rescue departments, and a limited number were sold to civilians. This vehicle was intended to test designs that would eventually make their way into mass-produced Toyota SUVs (like the Land Cruiser), but was financially unsuccessful for Toyota.
The Mega Cruiser featured a 4.1 L turbodiesel I4 engine. The engine focused on producing high amounts of torque at low revs. The SUV featured front, center, and rear differentials, as well as four wheel steering.

 

ManufacturerToyotaProduction1995–2002AssemblyGifu, JapanBody and chassisClassFull-size SUVBody style4-door SUVRelatedToyota Dyna
Toyota CoasterPowertrainEngine4.1 L 15B-FTE turbodiesel I4, 155 hp (116 kW)Transmission4-speed automaticDimensionsWheelbase133.7 in (3,396 mm)Length200.4 in (5,090 mm)Width85.4 in (2,169 mm)Height81.7 in (2,075 mm)Curb weight6,395 lb (2,901 kg)

 

that sumbish was HEAVY!!!

 

Yes I did, I remember when they were selling them new

You can see one in person here in Utah at the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum. The museum also features one of the finest (and growing) collections of Toyota Land Cruisers and some other rare Toyota DNA too. The museum owns a couple of Stouts that are yet to be restored.

 

We need a pole started: How long before someone gets one and air bags it?

 

I'll vote - "a week from never"

They are extremely rare, extremely expensive and difficult/expensive to import to the US as they are not EPA import-legal (25 years). There are less than a half dozen in the US, one temporarily imported by Toyota in 2006 when they debuted the FJ Cruiser at SEMA and the others are mil-spec versions that were imported in pieces, cut frames, tubs, etc. Find a civilian version for sale (domestically or internationally) and I'll pay a finders fee if it works out

 

I'd get one to shove the 4.5L V8DTT from Toyota in it.

 

The 1VD-FTV? It is a rocking power plant... I tried to fit this one in my luggage.

 

You have to do like Johnny Cash. Get it one piece at a time.

 

It wasn't so much the size... I can deal with that. It was the price. $10k'ish for the shortblock as shown. The parts guys couldn't figure out why I was trying to ride an engine block in their showroom lol.

Back to MegaCruiser. Spent some time tinkering with one the other morning... they are HUGE. 81" wide