The 2010 Toyota Tacoma Polar Expedition Vehicle that set two Guinness records crossing the Antarctic ice cap is one mean green machine, and it's for sale... at the US RUF Porsche distributor in Southfield, Michigan.
Grand Sport dba RUF got their hands on it through a frequent customer of theirs who "loves crazy stuff." Apparently that guy had his fun with it and is ready to move on, I was told the city he lives in wouldn't let him park it on the street.
What is with people and forcing beautiful pickups away from public parking, anyway? Though I suppose if your local homeowners association gives you shit for this thing you could probably just winch your house to a new neighborhood.
Whether you want to go harass Santa or live out your Halo Warthog-driving fantasies, this is pretty much your truck. I sure as hell want to buy it, if only for that badass bed cap.
The truck was originally sold stock out of a South Carolina Toyota store, after which Kieron Bradley of Lotus Engineering led a technical team in modifying it for Ex-Special Forces expedition leader Jason De Carteret to use on a Discovery UK TV show following their run from Patriot Hills to the South Pole and back. They banged the trip out in 39 hours, 54 minutes at an average speed of 27.9 MPH.
A TRD supercharger is fitted to the factory 4.0 gasoline V6, increasing output to 341 HP. Shift points in the automatic transmission were re-calibrated to match the increased power and wheel size.
Suspension was built by Marconi and features custom prop shafts as well as front and rear air-locking differentials. A nine-ton winch is detachable and quick-connects to the front or rear bumper.
A heavily insulated cabin is fitted with racing seats, a roll cage, and a few GPS systems.
With a fuel capacity of around 330 gallons, this Tacoma has a range of about 6,000 miles... even with those 44" Dick Cepek tires. As long as you're willing to drop about $1,200 at the gas station.
The current seller reckons "more than $400,000" went into building this Polar Tacoma. Their eBay auction just ended at around $70,000, but apparently the buyer never paid up... giving you another chance to take this rig home! It's got a clean Michigan title and only got about 14,000 miles... Of course, those were racked up under some pretty hard use.
I reckon this NATO Green truck is even beastlier than Top Gear's bright-red Hilux. Juts look at those haunches! But I'm eager to know which cold-condition off-roader you'd pick for your trip to the pole.
The photos shown here were taken by Detroit photographer, Thom Briggs.