Hilux on Top Gear driven to the north pole

[cyclist]

I didn't get to see it till last night. Great entertainment.
The trucks were awesome. Now we know what makes C lose his temper - being shoved in an ice lake.

Those tyres two inlfation nozzles per tyre- why?

I always thought the lighter fuel inflation trick was an urban myth

[RodLeach]

I didn't get to see it till last night. Great entertainment.
The trucks were awesome. Now we know what makes C lose his temper - being shoved in an ice lake.

Those tyres two inlfation nozzles per tyre- why?

I always thought the lighter fuel inflation trick was an urban myth

One valve inflates the tyre the other deflates it. Goes with the whole Low PSI trick.

[fergus]

have to agree , car and sceenery were cool but clarkson is a self centered knob

[PDR]

Yes, I saw it and thought it was fantastic.

But like everyone else, I think Clarkson came across as a real idiot. It is one thing to be reckless and cavalier close to civilization, but quite another in a remote place like the North Pole. He could have put them all in real danger with his antics.

[RodLeach]

There would've been loads more people making sure that whatever he did was safe(ish). Health and saftey would've been on them like a rash!

We have no idea what kinda backgrounds the guys in the other trucks had.
I dont think anyone wouldve been in real danger...

right....feel free to have a go at me

[dieselboy]

I always thought the lighter fuel inflation trick was an urban myth

no its not but you have to have the tyre popped off but still on the correct side of the rim.

i found a website where a group were off roading around the arctic. one of the trucks fell in very soft ground and it took them ages to get it out. i think its just pure snow and ice they were driving on. very exciting. ill try and find it

[dieselboy]

sorry dont think it was the arctic now. but here is the page
http://www.4x4offroads.com/kverkfjoll-offroad-2007.html

[RodLeach]

sorry dont think it was the arctic now. but here is the page
http://www.4x4offroads.com/kverkfjoll-offroad-2007.html

That is a sweet truck!! I bet it would cost a bomb to build it from stock!

[marky]

If anyone missed it or wants to watch/record it Sunday nights Repeat on BBC2 @ 8PM

[andycook]

saw the repeat last night, impressive trucks

I have my suspicions about which north pole the went to, i reckon it was the magnetic north pole, not the geographic one - which is a lot further north.
as GPS reading didnt look right for a start

bet clarkson got airlifted by chopper to a hotel every night too

suprised Hammond did it after his accident, unless it was filmed last summer?

[onlynik]

http://www.polar-challenge.com/index.asp

[BUSHWHACKER]

saw the repeat last night, impressive trucks

I have my suspicions about which north pole the went to, i reckon it was the magnetic north pole, not the geographic one - which is a lot further north.
as GPS reading didnt look right for a start

bet clarkson got airlifted by chopper to a hotel every night too

suprised Hammond did it after his accident, unless it was filmed last summer?

Of course it wasn't filmed last summer, there was snow everywhere!

Their truck's engine didn't sound standard either BTW, it was either a V6 or V8.

[Karma Supra]

It was a standard D4D with stadnard Transmission and a custom exhaust. teh only "engine" mods were fuel line and fuel tank heaters...

DESTINATION POLE FOR ARCTIC HERO HILUX
Intrepid Toyota aims for the top of the world

Battling across boulder fields, braving sea ice and running the gauntlet of predatory polar bears, a Toyota Hilux Invincible has pushed motoring endurance to new limits by embarking on an expedition to the Magnetic North Pole.

The attempt was made by Jeremy Clarkson and James May as an adventure feature for a special edition of BBC Television’s Top Gear. Supported by a small team of guides and specialist mechanics, they set out on their icy odyssey at the end of April. Whether or not they succeeded in reaching the pole will be revealed when the programme is screened on 25th July.

The pioneering journey was the culmination of months of planning between Toyota (GB), engineering experts Arctic Trucks from Iceland and the organisers of the 2007 Polar Challenge. With Clarkson and May piloting the Hilux, fellow presenter Richard Hammond attempted the route by more traditional polar transport, a sled pulled by a team of 10 huskies.

“The Arctic is one of the most hostile environments on earth for man and machine,” said Emil Grimsson, Chairman of Arctic Trucks. “The expedition demanded pinpoint planning and scouting to plot a route that could be safely negotiated. Even then there were times when there was no way forward unless we physically cut our way through the ice and boulders.

“No other car has attempted to tackle such extreme conditions and it says much about the strength of the Toyota Hilux’s design and engineering that it was considered the machine for the job.”

Before being transported to Canada, the Hilux – a Double Cab model – underwent detailed preparation in Arctic Trucks’ Reykjavik workshops. Key modifications to cope with deep snow and rough terrain included: -

• 38-inch studded snow tyres, running at pressures as low as 4psi
• Underbody shielding
• Revised suspension and springs, with specially tuned shock absorbers
• Bespoke exhaust system
• Satellite positioning and communications equipment
• Lubricant and coolant pre heating protection
• Specially blended diesel fuel, stored in 180-litre tanks

The 3.0-litre D-4D turbodiesel engine was largely unchanged, but modified to cope with the extreme cold with a heavy duty battery, raised air intake and fuel heater. A standard Hilux automatic transmission was used.

On board, the crews carried a full survival kit, recovery equipment and ice axes and chainsaws to help clear their route. They were also armed with shotguns to warn off Polar Bears.

The expedition adds yet more muscle to Hilux’s legendary robust reputation. In a previous Top Gear endurance trial, a Hilux continued to fire up after being crashed, washed out to sea, burned and crushed in the rubble of a blown up block of flats.

Source Toyota PR, via toyota ownersclub forum.

[dieselboy]

uncles friend has just bought one of these. its a 53 plate i think.
6 or £7k.. the previous owner mis-judged a gap between a country road bridge and a bus and the passenger side skimmed the bridge.
once the new parts have been put on and sprayed will be as good as new. not an expensive nice new motor.

[Slugsie]

I watched it on Saturday using the new BBC iPlayer

OK, I generally think Clarkson is a breath of fresh air in and increasingly claustrophobic PC world, but when he 'went for it' he was just being an utter pratt (toned down for family friendliness). He put himself, James May, and potentially any of the support crew who may have had to rescue him in serious danger. As he said, the nearest helicopter was around 1500miles away, and the nearest hospital even further.

However I was a bit surprised that he made virtually no comment on the abilities of the truck. No mention of the awesome fact that it actually made it despite the abuse he gave it. But I was also surprised that they only fitted 38inch tyres, and that they didn't use rim-locks. Surprised that they hadn't fitted one of those long reach front bars to stop the truck falling into crevasses. Still, where do I sign my life away to to get one of them Invincibles???