Congratulations to Toyota on setting a slew of new speed and distance endurance records at Gerotek last weekend. With their eight bakkies covering 84 887 kilometres in just three days the company ended a 14 year drought of endurance record breaking in South Africa in style!
The exercise kicked off on Friday 3 October, with single and double cab examples of each of four different Hilux models taking to the track. After the first hour the quickest 2700i had kicked up its heels and covered a stunning 162 425 km, with the 3 litre KZ-TE just under three laps behind on 154 277 km. The two-litre petrol Hilux was galloping happily along a lap behind, with 151 061 km under its belt, while the naturally-aspirated 2400 D rumbled along to cover 141 987 km.
When the flag dropped at 14:00 on Monday October 6 the Hilux bakkies had claimed 89 new South African speed and distance records for Toyota, covering periods ranging from one hour to 72 hours, and distances of between 50 and 10 000 km. There had been just one mechanical failure in 84 887 km of flat-out driving, when an externally-sourced differential carrier bearing failed on one of the Hilux 2700i’s on the final day. The failure was remedied and the vehicle went on to cover a total distance of 10 180,77km at an average speed of 141,349km. The other 2700i covered over 11 520 km in 72 hours at an average speed of 160,009km/hr — just over the magic imperial ton, or 100 miles per hour. On its way to completing 11 024,8km in the 72 hours the 3.0 KZ-TE turbo diesel set 15 absolute records for diesel vehicles in South Africa — one up for bakkies in general and Toyota’s Hilux in particular!
Perhaps the most impressive achievement of all was the consistency demonstrated by the vehicles and drivers. The quickest 2700i averaged 162,245km/hr in the first hour of the attempt, and averaged 160,009km/hr for the whole three days. For the 3,0 KZ-TE the figures were 154,278 and 153,123km/hr for the first hour and the entire period respectively, while the Hilux 2000 petrol managed 151,061 and 150,049km/hr and the 2400D 162,425 and 160,009km/hr respectively. When you consider that the first hour was driven non-stop in daylight by fresh drivers, while the rest of the 72 hours were punctuated by fuel stops, driver changes and even oil and tyre changes the consistency achieved is truly awesome. Well done, Toyota!