This Dakar Spec Hilux With IS F Engine Swap Is An SVT Raptor Slayer

Toyota has taken its burliest and most battle hardened truck and stuffed a V8 derived from the Lexus IS F underneath the hood.

Few trucks have the chops and reputation for being reliable and rugged day in and day out. Amongst that list are trucks like the Ford F-150, Dodge Ram and Chevrolet Silverado. But in South East Asia, it’s the Toyota Hilux. And according to our motoring friends across the Atlantic on their post earlier yesterday (Sept. 9, 2015) Toyota of South Africa in celebration of producing Hilux number one million have made a veritable beast of an off road truck.

2015.9.10 Hilux (9) /

Toyota of South Africa Motorsports have taken a standard Toyota Hilux and swapped in a 5.0 liter V8 from the Lexus IS-F and tweaked that power plant to deliver 450 HP and what we assume to be 341 lb-ft of torque (as no official torque number was reported.) Dubbed the 3.0 D-4D Legend 45, the build closely follows the Hilux’s used in the South African cross country series.

2015.9.10 Hilux (6) /

2015.9.10 Hilux (4) /

Dakar spec and road legal, this Legend 45 has both.The inlet manifold is Dakar Spec. In addition, a Pectel Cosworth engine management system and AIM electronic instrument panel makes sure all engine conditions are spot on. Managing exhaust is a full tubular exhaust system and making short work of all that torque is a twin-plate AP racing clutch in conjunction with a standard D-4D transmission.

As for the suspension, Toyota Motorsports had to LOWER the race ready Hilux for street duty by a good 50mm. Gargantuan 350mm brakes also make sure that speed can be scrubbed even with rotors caked in mud.

And if you’re wondering, someone has already bought this one-off SVT Raptor slayer. According to Paul Tan this Legend 45, “has found a home with Pretoria businessman Shabier Aboobaker. There are reportedly many other inquiries for a similar job, though Toyota SA has said the project is very much a one-off.” The MSRP for one of these will run you about 1 million S.A. Rand which is roughly $74,000.