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While watching the news, have you ever noticed the white-coloured, non-descript Toyota Land Cruisers or Hilux pick-ups used by humanitarian aid agencies? Ever wondered why they can’t be seen in regular Toyota dealerships in any part of the world? Well, that’s because of Toyota Gibraltar Stockholdings or TGS. TGS is an ‘authorised specialised distributor of Toyota vehicles and spare parts’ that sells specially-prepped utility vehicles exclusively to humanitarian aid agencies like the United Nations (UN) and the Red Cross. In short, these vehicles are off-limits for civilian buyers, and there’s a good chance that the last such vehicle you saw on television news might have come out of TGS. As for the special prep, the modified vehicles are essentially a barebones version of their standard counterparts (that civilian customers can buy) with purpose-specific additions that make them ready to serve in some of the harshest and most extreme regions of the world.
TGS is responsible for a pretty big model line-up that includes multiple versions of the Land Cruiser (70, 300, Prado), the Hilux pick-up, RAV4, Hiace traveller, Corolla, and a few more converted vehicles like ambulances and recovery vehicles. Each of these vehicles then can be further bifurcated based on the seating configurations, thus spawning more versions. A quick visit to the TGS website revealed that the Land Cruiser 78 Hardtop 13-Seater (Code HZJ78) is the maker’s “flagship Toyota model for the UN and NGO customers.”
Now though, TGS has launched the new 10-seater GDJ76, which is based on the recently updated Land Cruiser 70 SUV. It comes in as a replacement for the outgoing HZJ76, the 10-seater version based on the pre-facelift LC70. However, TGS claims that this replacement won’t be an immediate move – the HZJ76 will continue to be on sale for at least another year alongside the new GDJ76.
While the new GDJ76 features more or less the same underpinnings as the updated LC70, it foregoes most of the creature comforts such as automatic high-beam headlights (gets standard halogen lights instead), digital instrument cluster and touchscreen infotainment. Instead, it offers more off-road-centric features like Toyota Active Traction Control (A-TRAC) with manually locking hubs. As standard, all TGS models feature a 180-litre double fuel tank for extended driving range, in addition to the iconic snorkel. It even offers a standard, no-frill exterior shell, and rides on regular steel wheels.
In terms of propulsion, the GDJ76 gets Toyota’s 2.8-litre four-cylinder diesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. This engine offers big improvements over the in-line six diesel engine used in the HZJ76. For example, it offers up to 30% better fuel economy, 30% lesser emissions to be Euro4-compliant, and more power (129HP over the six-cylinder mill’s 201HP).
As per TGS, deliveries of the GDJ76 are expected to begin in March 2024, with the United Nations being one of the biggest initial customers.
