Vehicle
The vehicles used in the challenge were two 2006 Toyota Hilux double cab 3.0l diesel pickup trucks and one Toyota Land Cruiser 120. A trailer on 38" tyres was also used to carry part of the equipment and fuel ("A freeze-resistant mixture of diesel and AvGas", according to Jeremy). One Hilux was used by the presenters and was fitted with camera and sound recording equipment, the other two were used by the film crew, two driver/repair experts and one polar expert. All vehicles underwent the same extensive modifications to make them suitable for the Arctic conditions. The major modifications to the trucks included:
- The standard wheels and tyres were replaced with bespoke Arctic Trucks wheels and 38" studded snow tyres. The tyres were able to run at pressures as low as 0.2 bar (3 psi) for better traction over snow. The tyres are called Arctic Trucks AT405
- The wheel arches were raised and extended to protect (and accommodate) the larger tyres.
- The standard 3.0-litre D-4D engine was modified to cope with the very low temperatures. Heaters were added to increase fuel and coolant temperature, a large heavy-duty battery was fitted and the air intake was modified.
- A 90 litre auxiliary fuel tank was fitted, along with an extra-thick sump guard.
- The gearing ratio was lowered to 1:4.88.
- Two winches that could be fitted either to the front or rear of each of the vehicles were carried, in case they got stuck in the snow.
The Hilux was chosen because it had proven itself to be exceptionally durable. The car had featured in a Top Gear challenge taking place across two episodes, during which it was driven recklessly (into walls, a tree and the like), hit with a wrecking ball, had weights dropped onto it from a crane, washed out into the Bristol Channel, set on fire and was situated on the roof of an apartment block during the building's controlled demolition. After all this, after cleaning the engine and doing some minor repairs using no replacement parts, the Hilux was still able to be driven away. The Hilux was therefore the obvious choice for this test of endurance.
The truck used by the film crew was later re-used by James May in his attempt to get close to the still-erupting Eyjafjallajökull volcano and bring back a souvenir. The vehicle was further modified to include a tyre cooling system which included environmentally friendly vodka instead of anti-freeze and a corrugated roof to prevent damage to the vehicle from ejected debris.
Read more about this topic: Top Gear: Polar Special
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