Hey, did you know the Toyota Hilux is a capable pickup that’s sold basically everywhere besides North America and is apparently indestructible against the best Jeremy Clarkson can throw its way? Of course, you know that since it's practically common knowledge and rumored to be on driving tests in at least 95 countries. What you might not realize is Toyota has been selling the thing for half a century. Yep, 2018 marks the 50th birthday of the iconic Hilux pickup. Naturally, Toyota can’t let such an occasion pass without building some tribute, so here it is, the 2018 Hilux “Invincible 50.”

This Double Cab Hilux has several Toyota dealership parts bolted on, along with a custom wrap, all designed to grab attention at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. Toyota says the truck is “ideally suited to a broad range of both professional and leisure activities,” or basically, that a so-configured Hilux is at home on the job site and doing fun stuff on the weekend. Sounds like the automotive equivalent of a mullet hairstyle, right? Unlike the mullet, the Hilux’s popularity didn’t die in the 1990s. In fact, the truck is expected to sell more than 40,600 examples in Europe for 2017, besting its previous record of 40,104 sold in 2007. That’s pretty impressive, especially in a place where pickups aren’t the “it” vehicle to drive. Perhaps Toyota’s expectation rides on folks falling in love with the Hilux “invincible 50” and its customized flair. Probably not, but let’s have a close look at this one-off show truck.

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The 2018 Toyota Hilux “Invincible 50”

Toyota didn’t alter the Hilux’s bodywork, so the truck’s shape and details are all intact. Black fender flares and the graphics are the most noticeable changes, but black side steps and mud flaps match the black sports bar in the bed. Toyota also threw on a set of 18-inch, black alloy wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires. (BFGoodrich happens to be the tire supplier for Toyota’s Dakar race teams.)

The cargo bed also holds a few add-ons, too. A plastic bed liner protects the inner bed walls (while also generating static electricity as items slide around uncontrollably) and a plastic toolbox is custom-fitted between the sports bars. Inside the cab, Toyota added the bare minimum. Parts include floor mats, custom scuff plates, and a leather wrapper for the parking brake handle.

While the 2018 Hilux “Invincible 50” isn’t much of a show-stopper, we certainly want to congratulate Toyota on its 50 years of Hilux production and global sales over 18 million units.

Jeremy Clarkson Working over the Toyota Hilux

References

Read our full review on the 2016 Toyota Hilux

Check out how the Toyota Hilux handles the competition

Read the latest Toyota News