Toyota exec hints at ‘confirmed’ return of Condor’s SUV successor

Although branded as a concept at its showing in Indonesia two months ago, a senior Toyota executive has hinted that a production version of the Rangga SUV is being worked as the spiritual successor to the Condor.

Junior Fortuner

An SUV take on the Hilux Champ bakkie, the concept sported a custom-made enclosed canopy over the loadbin with seven-seats in a two-tone green-and-brown imitation upholstery trim, a flip-up tailgate, a pair of side doors with sliding windows, and an enlarged roof with black roof rails.

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Following the same principle as past Rangga/Tamaraw generations by offering both bakkie and MPV bodystyles, the concept lacks four-wheel-drive similar to the Hilux Champ but makes use of the body-on-frame or ladder-frame IMV platform that also underpins the current Fortuner and full-size Hilux.

Approval?

While not shown in the Philippines where the Hilux Champ launched as the Tamaraw at the end of November, Toyota Motor Asia Regional Executive Chief Engineer, Jurachart Jongusuk, let slip that work has started on a “second version” that will seemingly herald the return of the people-carrying variant.

Despite not providing any further details or a timeline, autoindustriya.com reports that Jongusuk’s reference to the people-carrying Tamaraw, known in South Africa first as the Venture and then later the Condor, all but assures it’s return after he was quoted as saying that the second model after the bakkie will be of a “similar kind” to the original.

In the Philippines, the Tamaraw bakkie offers a total of four variants and a single powerunit; the 2.4 GD-6 turbodiesel that makes 110kW/343Nm when connected to the five-speed manual gearbox, or 110kW/400Nm when specified with the six-speed automatic.

Conversely, the Thai-market Hilux Champ also has the option of two normally aspirated petrol engines; a 2.0-litre producing 102kW/183Nm and a 2.7 rated at 122kW/245Nm. Respective transmissions are a five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic.

More expected in 2025

As mentioned, no details about the Rangga/Tamaraw SUV is known, though don’t be surprised if more becomes a reality throughout 2025.

Meanwhile, a local arrival of the Hilux Champ remains off-limits despite interest in being high in filling the position of a half-ton bakkie left vacant by the discontinuing of the Nissan NP200 earlier this year.

“Right now, we don’t have approval to manufacture it in South Africa and we don’t have immediate plans to launch it either. But it is not something we are discounting,” Toyota South Africa Motors President and CEO, Andrew Kirby, told The Citizen at the launch of the new Land Cruiser Prado in Mozambique in July.

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