Next Toyota Hilux GR-S can be Ford Ranger and VW Amarok killer

With the all-new Toyota Hilux now seemingly being a bit further away from market than we had all hoped for, speculation not only continues unabatedly as to what this next gen bakkie will look like.

Hardcore enthusiasts also keep hoping that there will finally be a proper performance rival to outgun the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok 3.0-litre V6 big guns.

Toyota Hilux behind its rivals

The current 2.8-litre four-cylinder GD-6 turbodiesel powerplant of the Toyota Hilux comes in three states of tune. The most common being the 150kW/500Nm version, while the 48V models has 162kW/565Nm on tap and the performance-based GR-S 165 kW/550Nm. But these are bullied into submission on the streets by the Ford Ranger and VW Amarok. This pair boasts 184kW of power and 600Nm of torque.

If the Japanese manufacturer decide to engage in this bakkie war and take the power fight of their market leading Toyota Hilux to its rivals, they sure have the firepower lurking in the new 4Runner (Fortuner) and Tacoma (Hilux) in the United States.

ALSO READ: Longer wait: Next Toyota Hilux and Fortuner now only due in 2026

Proper power

The Tacoma runs a 2.4-litre petrol turbocharged engine that also finds itself in three states of tune; 170kW/329Nm, 200kW/420Nm and 207kW/430Nm.

The 4Runner gets the same 207kW/430Nm version from the Tacoma. But a potent 244kW/630Nm variation of the 2.4-litre that gains some electrical assistance from a 1.87-kWh lithium-ion battery pack housed within the eight-speed automatic gearbox is a top-of-the-range option for the SUV on the other side of the Atlantic.

What stops Toyota from putting this engine in the new Hilux, and Fortuner for that matter, in South Africa, and spreading them across their range of bakkie and SUV offerings as alternatives on showroom floors?

ALSO READ: Toyota Hilux 48V proves to be both faster and lighter on the juice

Speculation continues

And what about reserving the high-performance mild-hybrid 244kW/630Nm unit for what could become the next-gen Toyota Hilux GR-S IV and give the competition a taste of what real Gazoo Racing DNA is all about?

The bad news is that everything, from design, to spec, and powertrains, are pure speculation right now. And all we are hearing is that the current and somewhat old tech 2.8 GD-6 turbodiesel mill, with or without mild-hybrid assistance, is going to be the only option for the new Toyota Hilux and Fortuner.

Toyota performance enthusiasts can dream but I have absolutely no doubt there are many good answers as to why this will never happen.