Toyota's racing-inspired Hilux Revo GR Sport Lo-Floor is one odd truck

Toyota's Thai division is hoping to reignite the street truck trend by launching a version of the rugged Hilux inspired by the race cars that compete in the Super GT series. Unusually low and two-wheel-drive, it's accompanied by a taller, more off-road-focused performance model that offers four-wheel-drive and a handful of suspension upgrades.

Illustrating two opposite ends of the Hilux spectrum, the new Revo GR Sport models are ostensibly rooted in racing. The lower model is fittingly called Lo-Floor, and it lives up to that name by riding on 17-inch wheels wrapped by tires that are almost comically small. Toyota explained it also lowered the ride height by about an inch to achieve a more stable ride, especially at higher speeds, and a level of comfort described as being "passenger car-like."

Lo-Floor models gain a body kit that includes a black grille with a body-colored frame, a pair of front splitters, and side skirts, among other add-ons. Decals are part of the package, too. Inside, low-riding drivers will find red and black upholstery, red contrast stitching, a sprinkling of silver accents, and the expected assortment of GR emblems. 

Suitably called Hi-Floor, the four-wheel-drive model is a tribute to the World Rally Championship (WRC), which Toyota competes in — with a Yaris. That's not to say the Hilux has no performance credentials: it won the 2019 edition of the grueling Dakar Rally, though that victory might be too old to peg a special edition truck on, and Mini has won the event since. Back to the road: as Jalopnik points out, the Hi-Floor is a more conventional-looking truck characterized by a redesigned front bumper, body-colored fender flares, and 18-inch alloy wheels mounted on meaty tires. Monotube shock absorbers are among the suspension modifications made to the Hi-Floor model.

Power for the Lo-Floor comes from a 2.8-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder rated at 201 horsepower and a stout 370 pound-feet of torque when left stock. Toyota made no mention of mechanical modifications despite the claimed racing lineage. The engine spins the rear wheels only via a six-speed automatic transmission. Specifications for the Hi-Floor aren't available, but we're guessing it's powered by the same engine. It spins all four wheels, however.

Both trucks are on sale now in Thailand. Pricing for the two-wheel-drive Lo-Floor model starts at 889,000 THB, while the four-wheel-drive version costs 1,299,000 THB, figures that represent about $27,500 and $40,100, respectively. As of writing, nothing suggests either truck will be sold outside of Thailand, let alone in the United States.

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