Following a batch of cloudy spy photos last month, Toyota of Thailand has released a new teaser video for the eighth-generation Hilux pickup. Known as the Hilux Revo abroad, you can see the truck’s new silhouette in the futuristic film, which we’re happy to bring to you in non-potato quality.
The new Revo sports a sleeker, more modern look than its predecessors, with stretched headlights and a chunkier front bumper highlighting the vehicle’s front end. The design themes are emphasized in Toyota’s sci-fi inspired teaser, which depicts the launch of the Hilux literally as the truck is shot toward Earth with frightening speed. In fact, it appears to be fired at our planet inside some sort of menacing laser beam, but we’ll gloss over that fact for now.
The brand has also revealed what engines will be available on the 2016 model. There are two turbodiesel powerplants to choose from: a 2.4-liter unit with 160 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and a larger 2.8-liter mill with 177 hp and 332 lb-ft. A 2.7-liter gas four-cylinder is rumored to carry over as well, as will a variety of five and six-speed manual and automatic transmissions.
As far as toughness is concerned, the eighth-gen Hilux has a lot to live up to.
Top Gear (yes, we miss it too) famously tried to put down a 1988 diesel version back in 2003, but despite drowning it in the ocean, smashing it with a wrecking ball, dropping a caravan on it, setting it on fire, and placing on top of an imploding building, the dang thing still started up with hand tools.
Toyota is expected to reveal the all-new Hilux on May 21st.