More than two decades after Top Gear attempted to destroy the Toyota Hilux, the famous trailer stunt has returned. However, this time the impact was on the electric version of the pickup.
In one of the most memorable experiments of the British automotive show, a red 1988 Toyota Hilux underwent a series of increasingly extreme tests. It was hit with a hydraulic hammer, submerged in the sea, and left on the roof of a building that was subsequently demolished. A trailer was also dropped on it. Thanks to this, the single-cab fourth-generation model survived all tests and won the love of car enthusiasts.
Now, Toyota UK has revived this stunt with the new Hilux BEV model, which is a battery electric pickup. The experiment took place at Bentwaters Airfield in Suffolk, England. A 760 kg trailer was lifted to a height of 9.1 meters above the ground before being dropped onto the vehicle's roof.
Watch the trailer fall.
According to information from Toyota UK, the impact caused minor body damage to the Hilux BEV. Engineers inspected the vehicle, and the electric pickup reportedly started immediately and drove away.
Of course, dropping a trailer on a vehicle is not a standard durability test, but this stunt serves as a nostalgic reference to the original Top Gear experiment. It also raises an interesting question: does the reputation of the Hilux for withstanding serious loads remain in its electric incarnation?
