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Built Toyota Tough

By Brendon, January 15, 2008



I'm a big fan of the British car show Top Gear. I try and catch it whenever I can on BBC America, but mostly I watch it through youtube. Here's a rather funny segment they did several years ago, torture-testing a old Toyota Hilux (aka the Tacoma). I'm not going to spoil some of the more interesting tests they do by the end. I strongly suggest watching it in order. ENJOY:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Lrk6vsb77xk (part one)

(part three)

 

Edit: sorry, I forgot part three

that was pretty awesome, it sunk into the ocean and still started.

Bikeman982

The truck was in rough shape to start with, but by the end, I seriously doubt anyone would want to be seen driving it.

  • 1,424 posts

I love Top Gear too. I watch it every Monday on BBC America.

I also like How Clean is Your House?

But back to Top Gear, I wish we had those cars over here.

Those European cars are so hot and we just get the leftovers. They get cool things like remote tops for convertibles and the Ford Focus Cabriolet.

We get convertible tops for dummies and no Focus hardtop convertible designed in Turin, Italy.

we get top gear here on SBS. In fact, SBS has bought the rights from the BBC to do a local version, so now there are 2 versions.

Australia badly needs a good automotive show. We had a good one that aired from 1973-1980 on the ABC called 'Tourque', it was hosted by peter wherrett, a then-prominent motoring journo. Then we got other bits of rubbish, people hosting who had no idea what they were talking about. Now on channel 9 we have a show which is essentially is a 30 minute ad for penrite oils and shannons insurance. ok but could be a lot better.

back to toyotas being tough.....well they are designed for the whole world, not just the west. as an example, notice how the standard corolla ride height is a bit higher than the standard compact? well, bear in mind that it is used en masse in places like thailand, afghanistan and the caribbean as police cars and taxis. sometimes the roads are not paved, so the suspension is raised a little and made more heavy duty to suit (explains the crap ride?)

anyway, love topgear, I buy any top gear DVD i can get my hands on...

I heard they are creating a US version of Top Gear as well.

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Bikeman982

I love Top Gear too. I watch it every Monday on BBC America.

I also like How Clean is Your House?

But back to Top Gear, I wish we had those cars over here.

Those European cars are so hot and we just get the leftovers. They get cool things like remote tops for convertibles and the Ford Focus Cabriolet.

We get convertible tops for dummies and no Focus hardtop convertible designed in Turin, Italy.

At least we don't get all the tiny cars they sell in Europe to go down those narrow streets.

 

We do see the little mini Coopers and also the Scions box cars.

I prefer the medium sized sedans, versus the sub-compacts.

The Corolla is good size for a family.

At least we don't get all the tiny cars they sell in Europe to go down those narrow streets.

We got the Smart, nyah nyah nyah... default_laugh (And now the US gets it too, 3 yrs later.)

Canada gets 5-door Yaris hatch too, but not the Scion boxes or the tC... default_dry (I could care less about xA/xD)

Bikeman982

At least we don't get all the tiny cars they sell in Europe to go down those narrow streets.

We got the Smart, nyah nyah nyah... default_laugh (And now the US gets it too, 3 yrs later.)

Canada gets 5-door Yaris hatch too, but not the Scion boxes or the tC... default_dry (I could care less about xA/xD)

The worst thing about real small cars is that if they get into an accident, the occupants suffer a lot more.

 

They don't have as much protection as a larger vehicle.

They are better on gas and easier to park, but don't hold as many people or baggage.

They are more like a four-wheeled cycle with a box around it.

I would rather see more cars that are compact than sub-compacts.

because of our historical ties to the uk, and our immigration policy that for decades favoured people from europe (white australia policy 1946-1972), we have strong ties to the EU. So, we get a more diverse range of euro vehicles than the US does. we get most smart vehicles, smaller engined mercs (eg. a-class)/bmw/audi, euro models of corollas, the french brands peugeot, citroen and renault, focus hatch, opel astra hatch/coupe/wagon, we got the opel vectra for a bit, we get the vw polo and so on. We also get more diesels than in the us, i think.

engineering advances mean small cars are now quite safe, albeit not against a big car or SUV. the smart car got 4/5 in euro ncap testing. High oil price and environmental concerns mean that makers are looking at bringing microcars to oz, like toyota aygo, vw lupo and the new fiat 500...

I don't mind some of the European market minicars. The Aygo is cool looking; and thats a lot coming from me (i generally hate hatchbacks). Its a shame they don't make more mini sports car versions. I would love to have a little Aygo-sized MR2.

well, have just checked a copy of 'What Car?', apparently the aygo is not recommended due to general harshness - poor ride, noisy etc. other microcars are better, like the peugeot 107, citroen c2 etc.

Brendan, I agree on the Aygo. I drove one in Ireland last summer...1.0 liter 3 cylinder, nice interior, and by my calculations got over 52 mph (city and Ireland highways...approx 70% city.)

Great car! I liked a lot of the smaller versions of certain brands that we don't get here... I drove a BMW 118 hatchback; cool ride!

If the USA got smaller cars on the whole, we wouldn't worry about bashing into a Ford Expidition or an Escalade. I'm sorry, but there is no reason anyone should drive a huge SUV that gets 12 mpg. Even families can drive a more economical mini-van. We are a fat country who always demands the biggest and best...basically an "I want it now!" mentality.

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