Crazy craigslist find!

[EricHartley]

Ok so I know this isn't a 4Runner. But this toyota is just too rare not to share and I figured most of you on here would appreciate it. Admins, feel free to delete this if needed

1996 Toyota Mega Cruiser

I've never seen one in person, I'm really tempted to go check it out

 

[kolelt]

Now that is badass !!! But auto ?? Really dude ??

 

[vanion2]

Now that is badass !!! But auto ?? Really dude ??

When they are that rare beggars can't be choosers (that and they only made them in automatic). Hell, I had never even heard of one of these before.

 

[nissanh]

How many of you noticed the cruise control is a knob to turn (like the illumination dimmer) See picture:8

 

[Doc2012]

Looks like a righ hand drive Hummer with a Toyota Badge....

 

[IBallEngineer]

Looks like a righ hand drive Hummer with a Toyota Badge....

I first saw these back in 1996 when I was looking at buying my FJ62. I was a vendor for Toyota at the national training center in Torrance, CA and had a very strong relationship with them. They showed me a video of this Direct Injection Turbo Diesel with Central Tire Inflation fording 36" of water and climbing a 24" square block.

Of course I was in love, but at the time they were going for over 85K, in Japan, if you could get one.

Toyota never wanted to try to federalize that motor, much less make it CA legal. So they sold us 37 thousand dollar 3rd gens instead.

 

[Doc2012]

I first saw these back in 1996 when I was looking at buying my FJ62. I was a vendor for Toyota at the national training center in Torrance, CA and had a very strong relationship with them. They showed me a video of this Direct Injection Turbo Diesel with Central Tire Inflation fording 36" of water and climbing a 24" square block.

Of course I was in love, but at the time they were going for over 85K, in Japan, if you could get one.

Toyota never wanted to try to federalize that motor, much less make it CA legal. So they sold us 37 thousand dollar 3rd gens instead.

So it is a Right hand drive Hummer with a Toyota badge?

 

[jeremyc74]

Looks like a righ hand drive Hummer with a Toyota Badge....

That's exactly what it is....Japan's version of the HMMWV. I can remember seeing these things when we were doing training with JSDF while I was stationed in Japan. There were high back versions, as well as some with heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft missiles.

The military version and the Hummer are so similar it was hard to differentiate from a distance. It's almost like the Japanese took the design requirements the US gave AM General and had Toyota build one.

 

[TOY2G]

These things are hard to import and cannot be sold in the US. We tried twice to get one here, and then a few more time to get parts here. They come with Portal Hubs just like the M998 (BTW, even the AM Generals are Auto). We have a customer in Dubai who has the hubs on his Black FJ Cruiser.

They are only offered in a diesel 4.something, but I would love to drive one, just to say I have.

 

[Jhelms]

Thought I had heard of or seen every toyota made for the most part. Good find!

 

[Scramble]

yep, rare beast only for the Japanese Military & they didnt make too many of them.

 

[Pauly Walnuts]

It's has a 4cyl diesel with 150hp and 280ftlb. Kinda anemic

 

[farmerjon]

You should rehost the pictures here before the craigslist post goes down... I'm fascinated by this one. And the fact that it can seat 4 across pretty comfortably, you could put a LOT of stuff in there.

 

[jeremyc74]

It's has a 4cyl diesel with 150hp and 280ftlb. Kinda anemic

Geared low, with a top speed of probably 60-65MPH, very similar to the HMMWV. They're not fast, but there's plenty of power to do what they're intended to do.

 

[shootmymime]

 

[shootmymime]

 

[kolelt]

That's exactly what it is....Japan's version of the HMMWV. I can remember seeing these things when we were doing training with JSDF while I was stationed in Japan. There were high back versions, as well as some with heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft missiles.

The military version and the Hummer are so similar it was hard to differentiate from a distance. It's almost like the Japanese took the design requirements the US gave AM General and had Toyota build one.

My first impression that it looked just like the hummer. And now that you guys say its a rebadged toyota.

Didn't Toyota and GM were partners kinds like Chrysler and Mercedes. Which would make sense why its a hummer rebaged

 

[jeremyc74]

My first impression that it looked just like the hummer. And now that you guys say its a rebadged toyota.

Didn't Toyota and GM were partners kinds like Chrysler and Mercedes. Which would make sense why its a hummer rebaged

It's not a rebadge at all. The two don't share any parts at all, they just used similar design criteria and ended up looking a lot alike. This was manufactured exclusively by Toyota and was intended for the Japanese military.

Also, GM didn't have anything to do with this or the Humvee. The Hummer was built by AM General. GM bought the rights to it later on.

 

[kolelt]

It's not a rebadge at all. The two don't share any parts at all, they just used similar design criteria and ended up looking a lot alike. This was manufactured exclusively by Toyota and was intended for the Japanese military.

Also, GM didn't have anything to do with this or the Humvee. The Hummer was built by AM General. GM bought the rights to it later on.

Learn something new everyday. But correct me if I'm wrong, gm did use toyota parts in their vehicles.

 

[dgoll75]

I did not get to see the selling price before it got pulled. Anyone know what it sold for?