Rare Toyota Mega Cruiser For Sale Looks Straight Out of a Pixar Movie
The latest car news, reviews, and features.
When a Toyota Mega Cruiser comes up for sale, I tune in—not because I can afford to buy one, mind you. They're just that cool. This specific truck for sale on Bring a Trailer is especially nifty because it's a factory high-roof model with a windshield as big as an IMAX screen, but even flatter.
Toyota built fewer than 150 of these civilian high-roofs over a six-year production period. Before making its way to New Hampshire, where it currently lives, it served as a safari tour vehicle in Kenya. I've been to New Hampshire before, and let me tell you, I can't think of anywhere more different from a Kenyan reserve.
Anywho, this rig has a four-cylinder turbodiesel with 4.1 liters of displacement. Keeping with the theme of cuatro , it has a four-speed automatic transmission and, of course, four-wheel drive. It only has three locking differentials, but that's still a lot; as many as you can have, really. Bring a Trailer
Portal axles and 37-inch tires give this sucker more than 16.5 inches of ground clearance. It can climb up and over whatever you want, even with its relatively measly 153 horsepower and 282 lb-ft of torque.
You can see exactly why this Mega Cruiser was used for wildlife observation once you look inside. It has seating for 10 and enough room to stand. I can just picture myself driving a bunch of people, peeping at a pack of lions through those upper windows, or putting my boot in the built-in rear bumper step to climb on top of the roof and point at some wildebeest. OK, maybe I'm having a bit too much fun with this, but just look at this command center and tell me you wouldn't have a blast cosplaying as a tour guide from there: Bring a Trailer
Like any 30-year-old work vehicle, it has some faults. There are stains throughout the interior, and the headliner is in rough shape, but that just gives it character. The odometer shows roughly 104,000 kilometers, or 65,000 miles, along with who knows how many idle hours. No matter, though, as these 15B-FT diesels could probably run a million miles on rainwater from the jungle if they had to.
The auction ends on Monday, though at the time of publication, the high bid is just north of $30,000. I can definitely see that number doubling or even tripling as the last Mega Cruiser to sell on Bring a Trailer in 2024 went for $167,500. Others have been bid up around $100,000 since then, but they failed to meet reserve. There's no telling how much the seller thinks this admittedly super-rare high roof is worth, so we'll have to see if anyone offers enough cash to take it home with them.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Drive
42 minutes ago
- The Drive
Who Needs Tint? Auto Dimmable Rear Windows Are The Next Thing
Get The Drive's daily newsletter The latest car news, reviews, and features. Email address Sign Up Thank you! Terms of Service & Privacy Policy. Electrochromic glass may not be a new technology by any means, but it still feels magical. If you've ever had the chance to sit in a car with a sunroof made out of the stuff, it's pretty incredible. With a press of a button, the skylight goes from perfectly clear and bright to dark, to keep the sun's rays from beating down on your head. Toyota has incorporated the tech into its flagship Century luxury SUV that the company sells over in Japan, but not how you'd expect. On the Century, the side windows in the back are electrochromic as well, and they don't so much go dark as become frosted, to allow soft light in. This feature is hitting in the headlines, but it isn't new. The Century was revealed two years ago, but likely got buried under the vehicle's other party-piece tech tricks, of which it has many. When Toyota first unveiled the latest Century, it showed off a model with sliding doors. The second-row captain's chairs can lie nearly flat and include power footrests, and the Century even has a drive mode specifically to enhance rear passenger comfort, because the idea is that if you have access to one of these, you're probably not driving it yourself. But it's the side windows that have caught our attention. Toyota says they can switch between three modes: clear, semi-translucent, and opaque. Again, what's interesting about this is that the glass doesn't appear to darken. Light still passes through it, but you simply can't see anything on the other side. It's a brilliant use of the tech, and it's got to feel surreal to be enveloped in as a passenger. The three steps of the Toyota Century's SUV 'Digital Curtain' window glass. Toyota The technology was developed by a company called AGC. According to the firm, the Century represents the first time electrochromic glass has been used in car doors. AGC says it had to test the system to withstand the mechanical rigors of movable glass because, up until the Century, this sort of thing was only applied to fixed roof segments. The way it works is relatively simple to explain: There's a thin film made of 'special material' (good luck getting that secret recipe) that contains particles arranged in a random pattern to scatter light. When a voltage is applied to the film, the particles align, making the film transparent. If you look closely at this image from when the SUV was unveiled, it looks like the rear quarter glass is opaque, while the side door's window is obviously clear, possibly because the door is its marketing materials, Toyota likens the opaque effect to 'sitting in a Japanese-style room.' That's appropriate, given that the Century has long been Toyota's showcase for what happens when you combine the pinnacle of Japanese art and engineering in one automobile. We're still sad to be missing out on it here in the States, but Toyota did finally bring the Crown over here several years ago, so we shouldn't lose hope entirely that the Century could someday follow it along. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Flexibility key in tariff turmoil: Toyota, Rivian execs
This story was originally published on Automotive Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Automotive Dive newsletter. NOVI, MICHIGAN — A chaotic global business environment fueled by tariffs between the U.S. and its major trading partners has inspired a quick-thinking mindset among automakers, according to representatives from Rivian and Toyota Motor North America. During a panel discussion at AutoTech2025, Chris Nevers, senior director of global policy development for Rivian, stressed the importance of being nimble as long as trade policies remain in flux. He said it's important to be ready to respond but also not overreact and stay on course as much as possible. 'You know your North Star, and you have to know what you can either be flexible on or need to be flexible on,' he said. For Toyota, the automaker has streamlined its coordination and communication process companywide, said Adam Farris, director for international trade and supply chains for Toyota Motor North America. 'Our ability to more quickly share that information with the right people within our company and with our stakeholders in different equities, get feedback, analyses, has really quickened,' Farris said. It has become a necessity as tariffs 'are certainly a cost to our industry,' he added. While also dealing with U.S. tariffs on imports, automakers must also cope with duties placed on U.S.-built products destined elsewhere in the world. In Rivian's case, Nevers said the EV manufacturer still plans to build delivery vans in the U.S. for use in Europe by Amazon despite the duty that will be charged on those vehicles. Market demand is driving that decision. 'We export vans to Germany with Amazon,' he said. Nevers later added that "if you want to dominate the energy scene, it's not just burning more energy, it's being smart about it.' The recent wave of tariffs has led to automakers spending more time meeting with lawmakers, educating them on the implications of changing trade policies. Farris said Toyota has had numerous meetings in recent months with the White House and members of Congress. But Toyota isn't alone, Farris noted. 'I live in D.C., and I'll tell you this, I don't have to look for a hotel room, but the streets are getting crowded.' A priority for Toyota is preserving the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The automaker manufactured 123,456 Tacoma pickup trucks in Mexico between January and July last year, of which 113,611 were shipped to the U.S. in that same period, according to The Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry A.C. 'The importance of USMCA as a trade agreement and the importance specifically to the auto industry, is something that we're communicating with our policymakers and the administration,' Farris said. The agreement is scheduled for a joint review in July 2026. He said the USMCA allows North American automakers to compete globally. 'Certainly in the context of most USMCA discussions that the administration is having and continues to have with Canada, Mexico is to ensure that the United States and North America remains and grows as a globally competitive destination,' Farris said. While Rivian and Toyota have a U.S. manufacturing presence, Nevers noted that policy actions to encourage more domestic production won't result in supply chains shifting overnight. 'To qualify a supplier, it's not a matter of weeks, or maybe even months, sometimes a year for some of these components,' he said. 'It's not something that we just decide to pick up the phone and change suppliers.' Disclosure: AutoTech2025 is run by Informa, which owns a controlling stake in Informa TechTarget, the publisher behind Automotive Dive. Informa has no influence over Automotive Dive's coverage. Recommended Reading 'Break the silos': Software-defined vehicle development requires new approach Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
1 Massive Problem Facing Nio Investors. Is the Stock Still a Buy?
China's EV production capacity utilization is near an alarming 50% level. The price war in China has hit all competitors -- foreign and domestic. Nio's focus will be on accelerating deliveries through Onvo and Firefly. 10 stocks we like better than Nio › It almost seems impossible to think China's automotive market was once the most desirable in the world. At a time when China's automotive market sales were exploding, foreign automakers were quick to enter the market and make a buck while the young and inexperienced Chinese automakers watched and learned. Fast forward to today, and the story has nearly flipped. While auto sales are still lucrative in volume, the country is embattled in a brutal price war that has eroded profits. And for competitors like Nio (NYSE: NIO), a little more bad news is on the way. If you're invested in global automakers, you've likely heard a thing or two about the situation in China. Market leader BYD continued to apply pressure in late May when it announced an aggressive pricing strategy that slashed prices as much as 34% on 22 of its electric and plug-in hybrid models until the end of June. China's price war, which has become so devastating that it's forced government officials to call executives together in an attempt to soften the impacts and avoid a race to the bottom, is likely far from over. The price war might actually be distracting investors from a deeper issue for the automotive industry, and that's overcapacity. According to data from Shanghai-based Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute, China's overall industry capacity utilization was a meager 49.5% -- leaving a massive chunk of the country's 55.5 million annual vehicle production capacity unused. Then came the words that analysts have warned about and investors have feared: The price war may have no end. "As long as you have 50 percent capacity realization, you won't be able to end the price war in a normal market," said Jochen Siebert, managing director at auto consultancy JSC Automotive, according to Automotive News. For Nio and its investors, much of its problem in China is currently out of its control. At some point many automakers in China will be forced out of business or to consolidate, leaving a much healthier industry. Until that time comes, Nio's primary focus will be on cost improvement to offset margin pressure from the price war. The good news is we've seen some tangible progress from Nio on cost cutting. In fact, during the first quarter of 2025, vehicle margin increased to 10.25% from the prior year's 9.2%. Gross profit also made a substantial 88.5% increase to $126.7 million, compared to the prior year. The price war still hurts and Nio's net loss widened during the first quarter, but more optimization is on the way. "Since the first quarter, we have implemented a range of cost control measures, including organizational restructuring, cross-brand integration, and efficiency improvements in R&D, supply chain, sales and services," added Stanley Yu Qu, NIO's chief financial officer, in a press release. "Starting from the second quarter, the Company aims to achieve structural improvements in overall cost efficiency, with continued progress in operational performance." At the end of the day, Nio is doing its best to control what it can and has made considerable improvements on costs. Now the company will have to pivot and also focus on accelerating production of its two newer brands, Onvo and Firefly, which should help drive deliveries as the year progresses. For investors, while Nio is an intriguing investment in the world's largest EV market, it might be wise to watch from the sidelines until China's overcapacity problem isn't so dire and its price war not so brutal. Before you buy stock in Nio, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Nio wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $881,731!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 23, 2025 Daniel Miller has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BYD Company. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Massive Problem Facing Nio Investors. Is the Stock Still a Buy? was originally published by The Motley Fool
