Why did you put a Toyota logo on a Hummer? This question has been asked to the owner of Mega Cruiser more than once. But in fact, there is not much in common between these two military SUVs. The American HUMVEE (later called Hummer H1) went into production...

The American HUMVEE (later called the Hummer H1) went to mass production in 1983, and Toyota rolled out its Mega Cruiser almost ten years later. For this reason alone, the Yankees say that the treacherous samurai brazenly stole the concept of their military SUV. Maybe that was true, but the Japanese added a killer flavor to the American Big Mac: swivel rear wheels. Therefore, a car whose length is 5090 mm has a turning radius of 5.6 m.

It should be immediately clarified that the Mega Cruiser was produced in military and civilian versions. Military versions were not eligible for export from Japan or sale to private individuals. When the time came for decommissioning, they were simply released under pressure. But it was possible to export civilian modifications, but only in used form. Their main difference from the military versions was hidden in the cabin, where there were soft mats on the floor, velor seats, electrical accessories with minimal necessary set options and dual-zone air conditioning.

LIVING LEGEND
This Mega Cruiser is not the first of those that came to Russia at one time. Currently, there is another similar SUV with Vladivostok registration. And in the same area there is a legend about another specimen, which at the beginning of the century caught the eye of the Japanese consul, and since they were then prohibited for export, it was cut into pieces. But these parts were allegedly transported to Ukraine or Kazakhstan, where they were reassembled running car. And then he was drowned in some bottomless swamps.

According to unofficial information, 140 civilian modifications were produced. The same Mega Cruiser that we tested, identification number 137, but its year of manufacture is 1999.

MILITARY BACKS
In the cabin, the previous Japanese owner only added a bed in the trunk. To do this, in the space between wheel arches a quick-detachable iron structure was installed, making luggage compartment two-level. And on top of it, four wooden panels with soft upholstery lay in the spacer.

The car is considered a six-seater. Backseat accommodates four people, each of whom is provided with a seat belt. By the way, according to Russian documents, Mega Cruiser is a truck that can only be driven with category C. And this is not a trick to reduce customs duties. Everything is according to the law, after all full mass this frame SUV is 3780 kg, but dry - 2850 kg.

FOUR LITER POTS
The engine is a four-cylinder turbodiesel with a volume of 4.104 liters and a power of 170 hp. With.

belongs to the “Toyota” B family, known for thirty years. It is intercooled and equipped with a standard turbo timer. The engine air intake is located in a recess on the side of the hood. And then there is a system of numerous siphons, so it is difficult to grasp the water hammer - permissible depth fordability 1200 mm.

It is noteworthy that the on-board electrical network is 24-volt. So starting the engine both in cold weather and with oxidized contacts on the power wires - say, after getting wet in salt water - is not a problem. After all, military equipment on the island state was initially designed for contact with sea water. This is probably why all silent blocks, hinge joints and crosspieces are equipped with grease fittings.

MATERIAL PART: TOYOTA MEGA CRUISER

CONTINUOUS FULL
The transmission includes a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive modes (disabling top gear) and start from second gear. Next comes the transfer case with a reduction ratio of 2.488:1. Since the Mega Cruiser has a permanent all-wheel drive type, the transfer case has a differential with forced locking, activated by a button on the front panel. There are also buttons that control the locking of cross-axle differentials. The inter-wheel lock control mechanism is electric. Well, the most interesting thing about the transmission is the final drives (ratio 1.69:1), thanks to which (and the independent suspension, of course) the ground clearance is 420 mm.

EVERYTHING FOR INDEPENDENCE
Since the main purpose of this car is to travel over rocky terrain with complex terrain, not only ground clearance, but also suspension travel is extremely important for it. The suspension of all wheels is independent torsion bar. The size of the chassis parts is such that they can be used to uproot stones without much risk of damaging anything.

All brakes are ventilated disc brakes. For decreasing unsprung masses they are located on drive shafts, and not inside the wheels. Since we tested the civilian version, it did not have centralized wheel inflation. Although the tubes for her were in place.

Not otherwise, in order to complicate the life of Mega Cruiser owners, the standard tires on the car have a tricky dimension of 37x12.5 with a radius of 17.5. Therefore, it is easier to order the manufacture of wheel rims, say, 18 inches (smaller is not possible due to final drives), than to find mud tires of this size.

EVERYTHING FOR WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
Among the features of the body, I would like to note the carbon fiber hood. The spare tire's folding gate is equipped with a convenient cable drive, and a mini winch is provided to lift the spare wheel. In addition, the rear part of the roof above the trunk can be replaced with a higher one. To improve weight distribution, the engine is pushed into the cabin tunnel, and the batteries are hidden in a special isolated compartment under the passenger seat.

COW ON THE STEP
When driving the Mega Cruiser, its dimensions do not bother you. Of course, unlike its American counterpart, there is excellent visibility here. Thanks to the independent suspension, this SUV has a very smooth ride. There is no shaking or pitching in it. Well, the maneuverability is fantastic. With its huge ground clearance, tiny overhangs and all the blocking, it easily and naturally climbed difficult terrain on road tires. I couldn’t even believe that such a carcass was capable of such a thing - it looks about the same as if a cow was gracefully jumping along mountain steeps. As for operation in our conditions, the Vladivostok Mega Cruiser, long used for hard off-roading, has not yet broken down. There is already an answer to the question of consumables and spare parts that interests pragmatists. If something happens, getting spare parts is not a problem, although there is a decent waiting period for delivery.

SUV Toyota Mega Cruiser is a rather rare car, and it is very difficult to find one on the road in our country.

Such vehicles are generally not very popular - they are produced for the civilian market in limited quantities, since they belong to military equipment.

However, after Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he was governor of California, still managed to get GM to sell him Army HMMWV, a fashion appeared for military SUVs - however, they were sold in small batches.

So the lucky few became the owners of brutal cars, while the rest were forced to be content with modernized versions, such as Hummer of all three models.

Introduced in 1995 Toyota Mega Cruiser at first intended exclusively for the army. But unlike its American counterpart, from which it is copied in literally everything in appearance, this army SUV It was produced only for Japan and was not supplied to other countries.

Nevertheless, Toyota considered promoting the car for commercial purposes, so it was even presented at the Tokyo Auto Show in 1993, two years before the start of serial production.

Journalists greeted the new product critically and awarded it several not-so-unflattering titles. But the Toyota marketing department, after the commercial success of the HMMWV, managed to insist on releasing a limited series of SUVs, along with military production, but with some modifications.

The release of civilian Mega Cruisers took place from 1995 to 2002, but was canceled due to the fact that the SUV turned out to be uninteresting and was not successful - no more than 1000 units were sold.

Design overview

Cruiser is typical SUV, designed for use in harsh conditions. Powerful ladder-type spar frame like a military prototype - changes apply exclusively to the exterior and interior.

The wheelbase is 3396 mm with a body length of 5090 mm - the front geometric overhangs are almost minimal, which increases the already phenomenal cross-country ability.

The width of 2196 mm with a height of 2075 mm makes parking very difficult. Even classic American SUVs like the Ford Expedition, which cause bewilderment among the rest of the world with their gigantic shapes, have a width of 180 mm less.

The Cruiser's ground clearance is fine - an honest 420 mm, allowing it to overcome serious off-road conditions and real swamps.

Accordingly, due to the enlarged body made of steel (although the hood is carbon fiber), weight is 2900 kg, therefore, according to Russian law, a car is considered a truck, and a category C license is required to drive it.

In order to make the SUV attractive to customers, the exterior had to be seriously modified. If we compare it with the military version, called Toyota BDX10 Mega Cruiser, the changes are dramatic:

• Instead of an open three-seater body with a tilt back a normal five-door closed one is used.
• The front end received a new grille and rectangular headlights;
• A reinforced bumper has been installed. It houses anti-fog optics, decorated with plastic covers. The military version does not have a bumper, and the fog lights are installed near the grille.
• Double-stamped side body panels have a smooth window sill line and powerful door pillars.
• The rear part is located strictly perpendicular. The luggage compartment door is hinged and opens to the left. Mounted on a tubular structure fixed to it spare wheel.

In all other respects, the Mega Cruiser is no different from the army version. It is equipped with a fully independent torsion bar suspension with a torsion bar travel of more than 500 mm. To optimize your work with fully loaded(the figure reaches 800 kg), additional ones are installed at the rear. springs.

In the design of the suspension, in particular the levers, High alloy steel is widely used. This allowed Toyota to reduce the weight of the platform, otherwise the SUV would weigh more than 3 tons. At first glance, the levers seem flimsy, but the impression is deceptive - they are able to withstand huge loads, in fact, this is exactly what the car was created for.

Interior

The interior has also undergone dramatic changes - if a soldier is satisfied with a spartan interior, then the commercial version must be convenient and comfortable.

The interior is decorated with good plastic - not as high quality as, for example, the Lincoln Navigator, but quite okay. The seat upholstery is fabric, as opposed to military oak leatherette. A number of elements, for example, ceiling lamps and steering wheel, Toyota took from sedans in order to increase comfort.

To the left of the driver (all Mega Cruisers are right-hand drive) there is a huge side panel covering the transmission. It contains some of the devices that are traditionally installed in the center console (radio tape recorder, cigarette lighter, air deflectors, etc.).

The media system has a 6-disc CD changer (one of the most premium options at that time). The windows are equipped with electric windows with key control. All seats equipped with seat belts, and dual-zone air conditioning.

Due to the design, there is not much space in the front. And there is enough of it at the back, since the central tunnel ends immediately behind the front row of seats. The sofa can comfortably accommodate four passengers.

Behind it is located huge luggage compartment with a volume of 2941 l– it’s not that the third row of seats can be installed, an entire bed can be placed there freely. So if you are planning long hikes, here is a ready-made sleeping place.

One of the disadvantages of the trunk is its large height of 850 mm, so loading something heavy there will be problematic.

Specifications

Under the Cruiser's carbon fiber hood sits an inline four-cylinder engine. turbodiesel engine 15B-FTE with a volume of 4.1 l. He develops power 155 hp With. at 3400 rpm, and the maximum torque is 400 Nm. Such units are installed on Hino light trucks, as well as on the famous Land SUVs Cruiser series 40 and 70.

The motor is quite economical - Fuel consumption ranges from 14 to 18 liters in mixed mode. It is paired with a simple 4-speed automatic transmission. Why not mechanics? Because the Mega Cruiser was originally designed for military purposes, and learning to drive with an automatic is much easier than with a manual.

The box has six modes - in addition to four standard ones, there are two more off-road ones:

• “L” - driving only in 1st gear;
• “2” – no higher than 2nd.

The transfer case is two-stage mechanical, and the differentials are connected using special toggle switches. In total, the car has three differentials: a center differential and 2 cross-axle differentials, with forced electronic locking.

The torque from the engine is transmitted separately to each wheel through final drives. Thus, it was possible to achieve a ground clearance of 420 mm and increase the gear ratio to improve cross-country ability.

Among other things, the presence rear gearboxes allowed to implement 4WS system allowing rear wheels at low speed (up to 40 km/h) turn up to 12 degrees. Thanks to this technical solution turning radius is only 5.6 m.

Price

In civilian Toyota versions Mega Cruiser was offered in the only uncontested configuration at a price of $90 000 . Given the small number of these SUVs, there are practically no offers of a civilian option on the secondary market.

But there are a lot of military modifications in good condition that somehow ended up in the Russian Federation. Cars manufactured in 2006 with a mileage of up to 80,000 km, and not on our roads, can be bought in Russia for one and a half to two million rubles in standard configuration. Tuned versions will cost more – 2.2-3 million, but for lovers of extreme recreation this is an excellent option.

Toyota Mega Cruiser BXD-20 at the Dmitrovsky training ground

IN modern history There is, perhaps, no model in the automotive industry more mysterious and enigmatic than the Toyota Mega Cruiser. Anyone interested in off-roading has most likely heard about this car, but very few have had the chance to see the monster in person outside of Japan. At the same time, the paucity of official information and the rarity of the cars themselves only stimulated the growth of rumors about technical features, off-road capabilities and... legal conflicts associated with owning this car. But everything secret sooner or later becomes clear. So, meet the first Moscow Toyota Mega Cruiser!

The car simply and casually stood in the parking lot near an iron fence, taking up one and a half standard seats. First impression: “What a bus!” And here is the first detail that caught your eye: the door handles are metal, like on a box with equipment. One word - military equipment. But if we ignore such specific points, then in general the appearance of the car makes a surprisingly peaceful and friendly impression. At least, there are no analogies with an armored personnel carrier - namely a bus... And, despite, to put it mildly, unusual dimensions and proportions, the Mega Cruiser is harmonious, as, indeed, almost all Japanese utilitarian equipment is harmonious. You won’t even understand whether the car looks bulky or not? But it is almost the size of a GAZ-66, and the Toyota base is even longer by as much as 10 cm!

Myths and legends

In search of facts about the history of creation, modifications, production volumes and other details related to Mega, I incessantly scoured the World Wide Web for several days in a row. So, reliable information Surprisingly little was found. Most of the mentions of this car came down to banal chatter on jeep forums: “Yes, yes, we know. This is such a Japanese copy of Hummer.” And then it began... But here’s what’s characteristic: in fact, this car can be considered a copy of Hummer to the same extent as Land Cruiser– a copy of Jeep. Idea, purpose, general scheme chassis, but nothing more! Otherwise, this is a completely original car, the technical development of which immediately refutes all assumptions about banal borrowing. But the most surprising thing is that Mega... was never launched in mass production. Yes, yes, these cars were assembled individually! We could not find exact official data on production volumes. According to one version, they were produced... 140 pieces, and according to another - 500. Moreover, supporters of both figures appeal to Toyota’s internal corporate reports, the texts of which could not be found. But there were two other no less interesting documents - official announcements about service promotions. In one case, in April 2000, some cars were recalled to replace the engine control unit, in another, five years later, the lower ball joints were recalled. So, judging by the chassis numbers and production dates of the mentioned Mega Cruisers, as of September 25, 2001, 151 cars were produced.

With the starting point, everything is also not at all clear. Most likely, this car began to be created at the turn of the 80s and 90s. Moreover, the development of both military and civilian modifications was carried out simultaneously. In 1993, the military version was put into production, and the civilian version was presented as a prototype at the Tokyo Motor Show. And then the unexpected happened: either the Japanese spent a long time studying market prospects, or for some other reason, but the first commercial copy of this unique car was assembled only in January 1996. The Mega Cruiser was released for a short time, and nothing was invented to replace it. The last car most likely assembled in 2002, although according to some sources, Mega assembly was stopped somewhere between 2001 and 2005...

Export flour

Contrary to popular belief, the BXD-20 version was conceived specifically as a civilian vehicle, and not only for the domestic market. So, in 1997 it was presented at the Melbourne Motor Show to consider the possibility of supply to the Australian market. The press of the Green Continent then wrote about this as a matter almost decided, and also mentioned the Japanese intention to bring Mega to the US market. But something didn’t work out. Either the authorities gave a ban on exports, considering this “equipment dual purpose"a strategic product, or Toyota marketers themselves, for some reason, considered entering foreign markets inappropriate, but Mega was never officially sold anywhere abroad. Perhaps it is precisely this fact and the well-known Japanese ban on the export of purely military equipment gave rise to the widespread opinion among us that Mega is also a “not allowed to travel” car. So, I have not found any official confirmation of this. On the contrary, advertisements for the sale of cars freshly imported from Japan periodically appear on European and American websites. Moreover, one of the Dutch companies even placed an advertisement for accepting orders for the supply of Mega Cruiser. And the hero of our test got to Russia very simply: he was brought from Japan through one of the Finnish companies. Little of, original spare parts You can officially order a car in Russia. So the legal problems with the export of Mega are most likely far-fetched. Another thing is that such cars themselves are rare, and the prices... Given that new cars in Japan cost about $90,000 in terms of the yen exchange rate of those years, now they have practically not lost in price. So think about it...

It is reliably known that Mega Cruiser is available in Australia, South Africa, the USA, Germany, France and, possibly, Italy. There are two of them in Russia - another car has been driving around Vladivostok for several years. There are two cars in Kazakhstan, and two are on the way there (in the United Arab Emirates they are now changing the location of the steering wheel), another Mega, according to unconfirmed reports, is running somewhere in Western Ukraine.

Japanese mosaic

Anyone who has ever looked into a Hummer H1 or seen photographs of its interior was probably surprised by the internal crampedness with such huge external dimensions. Opening the door to the Mega Cruiser, I was ready for something like this. But it was spacious inside! And even the notorious transmission tunnel here hardly protrudes above the floor, which in turn made it possible to make the rear row of seats four-seater. A two-seater sofa with a folding backrest is installed directly on this tunnel, and on the edges of it there are separate chairs with an adjustable tilt (exactly the same ones are located in front). But the pilot and navigator are separated by an impressive “desk” that hides an air conditioner and an audio system. By the way, thanks to the rather cool weather during the test days, a feature of the heater was revealed that is more typical for trucks: the “stove” directs streams of warm air to the legs and onto the windshield. Deflectors blowing into the face are designed for ventilation and take air from the street, bypassing the stove radiator. Now attention! Anyone who had a chance to drive a Toyota of the early 90s will probably be captivated by the game “find a familiar part.” Buttons, handles, lamps, deflectors, heater sliders, steering wheel - all this migrated to the Mega interior from the corporation’s mass models. Moreover, judging by the design of the slide, the seats were borrowed from some kind of minibus or cabover truck. They even retain the mechanism that tilts the backrest forward, although there is no objective need for it on the five-door Mega. It is pleasantly surprising that this entire mosaic is chosen in an extremely convenient way. The thoroughness of the ergonomics is characterized by a simple detail: a crossbar-footrest for the front passenger.

Everyone will sit down

The roof of the car is welded in three sections. In the middle one there is an oval bulge - just above that back sofa, so that those sitting on it do not hit their heads on the ceiling. Thanks to this, two tall people can easily be accommodated here, although traveling long distances will be difficult for them: their knees are pressed against their chin. But everyone sitting in separate chairs feels good and at ease, regardless of their size. Due to the fact that the second row is located slightly higher than the first, rear passengers do not feel “walled up”. But the front seats are too low. For a driver of average height, this makes it difficult to see and makes it difficult to accurately assess the dimensions of the car. But at the same time, a person of almost any height and build can find a comfortable driving position (and this without even adjusting the column)!

The Mega trunk is just some kind of mega trunk. Just imagine: as much as three cubic meters of loading space! With a width of 2.05 m, it allows you to arrange a magnificent spacious “sleeping room” inside for two or even three. And the back of the sofa here will have to be folded only to transport some bulky long item. For example, a two-chamber refrigerator. By the way, for the “control” loading of Mega Cruiser, for the first time in the not too long history of our publication, we exhausted almost the entire supply of “test” boxes: only the notorious “plasma panel” did not fit inside.

Folding parts

I would be happy to include the “open the Mega hood” exercise among the “everyday” tasks for intelligence and dexterity. I am sure that half of the subjects, having unfastened the external latches, would have pulled it until something broke off. And those who would have found the inner handle of the third lock hidden under the dashboard would have been looking for a long time to find the point of application of force in order to single-handedly lift the huge and flexible fiberglass “sail”. Again, contrary to popular belief, the hood is the only plastic exterior panel on this car. Everything else is steel sheet.

The spare wheel holder is simply a small masterpiece of technical thought. More precisely, not small at all. That’s why massive hinges were placed on the body. Apparently there is a very powerful amplifier inside the rear corner box that they attach to. At least, over all the years of operation of this car, the huge (37x12.5R17.5) “spare wheel” was never able to squander them. As a result, the bracket slams shut, like new. And it opens the same way. As for the upward cable drive of the lock, it is really very convenient. You begin to appreciate it especially when the car sinks into the mud up to the bumper - you don’t have to get your hands dirty to open the trunk. But that is not all! The bracket is equipped with a locking pin on a special cord (so as not to get lost), which prevents accidental slamming of the “wicket”, and a manual chain hoist for raising and lowering a heavy wheel.

Full control

Toyota Mega Cruiser is one of the few production cars, in which the wheels of both axles are made controlled. When you turn the steering wheel, the rear wheels automatically turn to the opposite side relative to the front ones, thereby significantly reducing the turning circle. As a result, it is only 11.2 m, which is three meters less than any long-wheelbase Land Cruiser! Yes, at first the steering rear wheels give the driver the feeling of constantly drifting. But you quickly get used to it. While driving around the site and observing, we noticed that the system is activated when any “driving” gear is engaged in the box, it works both in place and on the move, while the angle of rotation of the rear wheels does not depend on speed. It turns off when you reach 40 km/h or when you switch the selector to “parking”. In the latter case, the turned wheels sharply, with a jerk, return to the straight position. The opposite is also true: when you engage a gear with the steering wheel turned, the rear wheels immediately tend to turn right on the spot. In general, we were eager to get under the car to study the steering linkage in detail, which we did immediately after the traditional weighing and measurements. I must say, we spent a long time understanding the interweaving of tubes, rods and wires. The connection turned out to be complex: there are mechanical, hydraulic, and electrical components. At the same time, everything, as in the case of the interior design, is assembled for the most part from simple and mass-produced elements. A control rod is laid from the front bipod to the rear steering gearbox, or rather, a whole system of rods and hinges, ending with a cable mechanism and a distributor that turns the reciprocating motion into a rotational one. This system only sets the direction and angle of rotation of the wheels. The entire power part is built on hydraulics, driven from the power steering pump and connecting two steering gearboxes. In the middle of this line there is a disconnect valve, the control of which is connected to the “brains” of the box. Including, apparently, the speed sensor it contains.

In general, having looked at how the steering was designed, we doubted that moving the steering wheel to the left side (planned by the car owner) would be advisable. Too much will have to be rearranged and redesigned to remain “fully manageable.”

Search for familiar units

In addition to the secrets of the steering mechanism, a look from inspection hole discovered many others interesting details. Chassis looks lighter, simpler and much more maintainable than the Hummer. But for all its visual lightness, it leaves the impression of strength, reliability and practicality. Despite the lack of sheet protection, all elements are arranged in such a way that it will be problematic to damage them off-road, and at the same time, there is convenient access for repair and maintenance virtually everywhere. This is roughly what the “correct” one should look like from below off-road vehicle", capable of long and hard work!

Both suspensions are made according to an independent design on double wishbones, while the arms are interchangeable diagonally. Incredibly long torsion bars were used as elastic elements (1.3 m - front and 1.6 m - rear), which made it possible to achieve absolutely fantastic vertical strokes for an independent scheme.

And the creators of the car perfectly calculated the optimal relationship between ground clearance, height of the center of gravity and useful interior volume. In addition, the transmission turned out to be quite compact for such a car. By the way, we discovered a suspiciously close resemblance between the gearbox and gearbox and similar units of the Land Cruiser 80. However, there were “extra” parts on the transfer case: cooling fins and a miniature drum parking brake. The main gear housings, identical front and rear, did not evoke such associations in any of us, but they, quite possibly, were also borrowed from some commercial equipment for the domestic market. But electric drives We met inter-axle blockers as if they were good friends. By the way, the Mega differentials have a very unusual design - they have rigid forced locks that coexist perfectly with worm-type “self-locking” ones! I have never seen such a set before.

Final drives provide an increase in ground clearance, and at the same time the overall transmission ratio. In all technical descriptions found on the Internet, their gear ratio indicated as 1.69. However, in the manual that came with the car we tested, we found different data: 1.86 and final drive 5.838. It is quite possible that gear ratios varied on cars of different years.

As for the engine, all Mega Cruisers are equipped with a 4.1 liter 15BFTE four-cylinder turbodiesel. This sixteen-valve engine with an intercooler is quite common. They are equipped with light trucks and Toyota and Hino buses. Initially, its power was equal to 155 hp, and since 1999, 170-horsepower units were introduced, developing this power at 3000 rpm. At the same time, their torque peak of 430 Nm starts at 1600 rpm.

Specifications Toyota Mega Cruiser BXD-20 (manufacturer data)
Body type	Station wagon
Number of doors/seats	5 / 6
Engine: model, type	15B-FTE, diesel with turbine, L4 16V
Engine: volume, cm3	4104
Maximum power, hp@ rpm	170@ 3000
Torque, Nm@ rpm	430@ 1600
Transmission	4-speed automatic transmission
type of drive	Full-time all-wheel drive with three lockable differentials
Front suspension
Rear suspension	Independent double wishbone with longitudinal torsion bars
Turning diameter, m	11,2 (11,56*)
Acceleration to 100 km/h, s	27 (26,5*)
Maximum speed, km/h	130 (131*)
Claimed fuel consumption at 60 km/h, l per 100 km	10,75
Fuel tank volume, l	110
Maximum power reserve, km	1000
Curb/full weight, kg	2900 / 3830

* ORD measurements

Hero of the Asphalt

The fact that the Mega Cruiser is not designed for cramped city streets becomes clear immediately as soon as you get behind the wheel. Even after getting used to its width, you have to be extremely careful when maneuvering. The fact is that the fully controlled scheme (in the form in which it is implemented here), while reducing the turning radius, simultaneously worsens... the accuracy of the maneuver. Firstly, due to the fact that the corners of the body extend over a larger radius than the tires, and therefore have to be tracked with special care. But due to the visibility features and the impressive width of the body, this is very difficult to do. But it's even harder to maneuver in reverse in a confined space: the rear wheels seem to have a life of their own. Constantly spinning, they, for example, do not allow you to park close to the sidewalk in a narrow gap between cars. As a result, for precise maneuvers you often want to block the rear steering wheel, but, alas, this is impossible in this design option.

However, until it comes to turning around in a cramped yard, the car behaves quite adequately and obediently. Even at speeds above 40 km/h, when the rear steering mechanism is locked, it remains very responsive to the steering. It’s difficult to call it “sharp” - after all, there are four turns of the steering wheel from lock to lock, but overall it demonstrates a very clear and fast response. In sharp maneuvers the car remains precise and obedient, but the driver begins to be confused by strong (I would even say frightening) body roll very early on. From the inside, it looks like it's about to start sliding, but all four wheels continue to maintain excellent traction and the car finishes the maneuver it started cleanly. In approximately this mode, we went through a standard 20-meter “rearrangement” starting from about 50 and up to 75 km/h, when the car finally broke off the trajectory.

I'll be honest: I was ready for the car to be super comfortable on rough roads. But I was still surprised at how easily and naturally the Mega “fell” over the bumpy cobblestones, maintaining full contact with the surface. At the same time, the speed was quite acceptable 70 km/h. By the way, while getting from Moscow to the test site, we noticed that the speed and dynamic qualities of the car were quite consistent with its purpose. They are sufficient to calmly and “without strain” stay in the traffic (there are also enough brakes), but all overtaking on a narrow highway has to be calculated in advance. In general, everything is in order. At the same time, our measurements confirmed that this specimen with a mileage of 90 thousand kilometers ideally corresponds to the factory data: 26.5 seconds to “hundred” and 131 km/h maximum speed!

Evgeniy SPERANSKY Drive expert of ORD magazine

Rolls seem larger than they really are

Mega Cruiser exhibits two interesting features, which require getting used to. Firstly, here, given the rather large overall width of the car, suspensions on fairly long arms are used, so the driver feels large rolls in the dynamics when maneuvering. By shifting the steering wheel and causing the car to roll, it rises and falls. At the same time, the actual roll at the angle is small, but due to the large width of the body, the vertical travel of the driver’s seat is large. It takes a habit to move confidently with just such body sway. In general, the car exhibits a fairly high response in handling and turns well. But here a second unpleasant moment appears: at a speed of 40 km/h, the nature of the car’s sensitivity to steering wheel rotation changes sharply. At low speeds, the response is excessively high due to the fact that the rear wheels turn the car. Without the habit, the driver is somewhat ahead of the car's reactions, that is, when turning, he oversteers a little. But this is easily compensated for by control actions. And when you go past 40 km/h, the car's cornering sensitivity changes from oversteer to normal oversteer, and this transition zone is unpleasant.

In his element

As usual, we started the off-road part of the test with alternating obstacles, but completed it very quickly - it became boring. Mega simply drove, swaying slightly on the iron waves... Moreover, on natural terrain we had difficulty finding a place where the car would hang a wheel . And since we were looking for it among the dunes of a sand quarry, we continued our program with rides up the loose sand. So, let’s deflate the wheels and go ahead. Bleeding the tire pressure, as well as their subsequent inflation, had to be done in the most conventional way: the centralized pressure regulation system was not installed on all Megas. But theoretically, the car can be retrofitted with this system: we found all the fastening points for its elements and even the wiring for the compressor, which should be located in the right niche behind the rear wheel arch.

So, the tires have 1.2 atmospheres... First test drive - without turning on anything in the transmission and at the smallest speed. Mega rises to the middle of the mountain and begins to dig into the ground. Now the same thing, but on the second lower one. The pictogram on the panel shows that when the “lowering” is turned on, the central differential is automatically locked. I keep the throttle steady so as not to spin the wheels, but the car still stops in the middle of the climb. An attempt to enter while moving and accelerating gives the same result. However, it is not surprising: in this place no one has ever reached the top. At the same time, while the car is moving, the worm self-locking units work in such a way that from the outside it seems that forced locking is activated.

We found a difference in the effectiveness of blocking on clay, when crossing deep slippery ruts, and on lumpy grassy climbs. With the transmission completely locked, the car behaved more confidently in these situations. By the way, another funny property appeared in the ruts. Rear control helps straight-line movement along a deep rut when there is not enough ground clearance: turn the steering wheel in any direction - and two pairs of turned-out wheels begin, clinging to the sides, to pull the car forward. But getting out of the rut for the same reason is more difficult. Resting against opposite edges, the car tried to stand across, but the high sides prevented it from doing so. However, at some point the wheels were able to catch on something, and the car jumped out of the rut. But it was too early to rejoice - Mega stood right across the road and refused to move anywhere further. It was impossible to push her out of the trap, even with three of us, so we had to follow the cable.

If the car had mud tires, it is quite possible that it would move even more confidently. In the end, the tactics of moving along the ruts were clearly defined: strictly follow the tracks to the bitter end, especially since there is no need to worry about the lack of ground clearance. But if you need to cross a track or get onto the sides, you will have to very carefully “wave” the steering wheel, marking the entry and exit points in advance, and use inertia. However, even if you don’t succeed in taxiing the first time, Mega always leaves a chance for a second try: landing this car on a country road is a whole art.

At the bottom

It must be said that our test swamp with open water is not only the most difficult, but also the most honorable “special stage”. Only those cars included here are outstanding maneuverability which we know for certain. Few things left here under their own power (well, maybe a couple of trophy prototypes of the TR3 class)... No, there were doubts that Mega would be able to drive freely here, and not without reason. Firstly, the tires with a tread pattern that was not at all muddy were confusing, and secondly, the rather high weight of the car. But only practice is the criterion of truth. Therefore, I lower the tire pressure to 0.8 atmospheres and set off into the swamp along the rut made by my predecessors. Alas, it turns out to be viscous and deep, and therefore after about seven meters the car stops, noticeably tilting right side. The bottom edge of the door is under water, but the seal holds. A trickle of water begins to fill the pilot's compartment only after a few minutes. In general, we unwind the rear winch cable and leave. The second attempt was more successful. Having set a rut past the wheels, pressing my left side against the bushes and holding the transmission in the second low mode, I finally gained some freedom of movement.

Carefully working the gas pedal and carefully choosing a route along the willow growth sticking out of the water, I was even able to get going after stopping at depth. The car drove on confidently and arrived just before the start. open water swampy lake. And then...the width of the body was reduced. I didn’t want to turn left and push through the hard branches of the bushes, but the depth began on the right. When my corner of the hood began to go under water, I had to stop and put the rear on. But we managed to “roll back” only half a meter – Mega sat down. While they were unwinding the winch, while they were taking out the extension cord and hooking the cables, the water accumulated above the level driver's seat... There was only one thing that was pleasing: all the breathers of the transmission units were normally brought to the top, and therefore, the risk for boxes and gearboxes was minimal. True, this was done in such a way that if flooding occurred, the hose of the front right wheel gearbox could also be below the water level. But, as a subsequent oil check showed, everything worked out.

And then we set off to storm the next obstacle. A narrow but deep stream (or rather, a reclamation ditch) in the middle of a dried grassy swamp seemed to us a completely worthy and real obstacle. However, the path there along a very narrow winding path through the forest turned out to be no less difficult. A couple of times the car simply did not fit into the oversized curve of the road and required considerable skill so as not to tear the body off the trees. But the trickle itself, on the contrary, did not become a serious obstacle for Mega. After a couple of drives back and forth, I became so bold and familiar with the terrain that I specifically found a trajectory to get a “diagonal” and hang the rear wheel in the air. Having stopped in this position, the car did not want to move with the differentials unlocked. I had to turn it on rear lock, after which Mega left as if nothing had happened. This ditch was able to stop the miracle of Japanese technology only when the car plunged into it with its two front wheels and simply rested its bumper on the bank.

Social significance The longer I talked with the Toyota Mega Cruiser, the stronger my conviction became that this is exactly what the heir to the Ulyanovsk “loaf” should look like. It was in Japan that they didn’t know where to put such a car and where to drive it, and therefore, out of despair, they sent it to the dustbin of history. But in Russia there would be no price for it. Moreover, Mega would immediately receive the status of socially significant transport. A little expensive, of course, but what a set of consumer qualities, and even phenomenal reliability! But mass production and domestic assembly would reduce the cost. Okay, we’ve persuaded you, to reduce the cost even more, you can even abandon the “rear steering wheel”. In the end it's not that important. But what could it be? ambulance"for the rural outback! Or an all-weather minibus for the Far North, an auto shop, mobile transport for scientific expeditions... Well, for amateurs extreme travel and would even elevate this Toyota to the rank iconic car. Or maybe we should be like the Chinese and... copy?..

text: Evgeniy KONSTANTINOV
photo: Alexander DAVIDYUK
Alexey VASILIEV

Combat (Kukidosha)

All arguments about the existence of several thousand Mega Cruisers are quite naive, but at the same time they are still not without foundation. The fact is that Mega, which has the factory index BXD-20, is built on the same chassis as the light multi-purpose army transporter Toyota HMV “Kukidosya” (index BXD10), which was put into service in 1993. The car is less known, but much more common. It is primarily distinguished from Mega by a simplified three-door ten-seater body with an awning and benches along the sides. Of course, there is no talk of any air conditioning or audio system here; the entire interior decoration consists of metal paint and leatherette “stools”. There is no spare wheel, but there is standard mounts for the crew's personal weapons, space for a reserve canister and additional springs in the rear suspension, wound around the shock absorbers. A centralized pumping system is required. In this version, this vehicle with a carrying capacity of one and a half tons is used both for transporting soldiers and as a tractor for field artillery. It is also equipped with mortars, recoilless rifles and other weapons. Moreover, on the same chassis there is another vehicle used by the Japanese self-defense forces - a cargo cabover with the BXD-30 index, which most often acts as an auxiliary transport vehicle With onboard platform, less often - as a medical van. Interestingly, exactly the same cabover cab is installed on another chassis with dependent suspensions both bridges. Both the BXD-10 and BXD-30 are in service to this day, coping well with their assigned responsibilities.

But that's not true. There is little in common between the Toyota Mega Cruiser and the Hummer.

The history of the Hummer H1 is known to many today: it was originally an American military SUV, the HUMVEE, but in 1983 it went into assembly line production and became known as the Hummer H1. Japanese manufacturer did not stand still and 10 years later released its own version of an SUV - Toyota Mega Cruiser. Externally, the car is similar to a Hummer, but unlike American SUV, the rear wheels of the Mega Cruiser can turn. Toyota length Mega Cruiser equals 5090 mm, but thanks to such rear wheels, this car has a good turning radius of 5.6 meters.

The Mega Cruiser SUV was initially produced in civilian and military versions, and a private person could not buy the military version, and even when the military vehicle served its purpose, it was simply destroyed. As for civilian Mega Cruisers, they can be exported to another country, but it must be a car from the secondary market.

The main differences between civilian models and military ones are velor seats, soft mats, air conditioning, power accessories with the necessary options.

In Russia, according to documents, this SUV refers to trucks, therefore, in order to drive a Mega Cruiser you must have a license with category C. This misunderstanding occurred due to the fact that the total weight of the vehicle is 3780 kg, and the dry weight is 2850 kg.

Legendary car

Total civilian Mega Cruiser was About 140 pieces were produced. The first such car that came to Russia was brutally sawn into pieces. Because this car was noticed by the Japanese consul, and in those years Mega Cruisers were banned for export. But then all these sawn parts were sent to Ukraine, where the car was reassembled, resulting in a running car. But his fate did not end well - he was drowned in one of the deep swamps.

But we managed to test this rare car, it is number 137, this copy was released in 1999.

Military style

This car was slightly improved by the owner - a bed was installed in the trunk, which is very comfortable to sleep on. To do this, we had to install a removable iron structure, thanks to which the trunk became 2-level.

Toyota Mega Cruiser is a 6-seater car, 4 people can comfortably fit in the back seat, and there is even a seat belt for each person.

Power unit

The Mega Cruiser's engine is a 4-liter turbodiesel, whose power is 170 hp. With. This engine from Toyota has been known for quite a long time, it was installed on others, it has an intercooler and a standard turbo timer. The engine is located so that the machine can overcome lakes or swamps 1.2 meters deep. The air intake is located on the side of the hood, this helps prevent water from getting into the engine.

Among the features of the Mega Cruiser is a 24 Volt power supply, which is good because even in severe frosts the engine starts easily, there are also no problems with the factory, even if the contacts on the wires have oxidized after getting wet in salt water. After all, the car is Japanese, and in Japan, especially if the car is used for military purposes, contact with sea water will be very frequent. That is why all connections, silent blocks and crosspieces are equipped with grease fittings.

Permanent all-wheel drive

Installed in Mega Cruiser permanent all-wheel drive, so there are certain features here: there is a differential with forced locking, which is installed in the transfer case and is activated by a button located on the front panel. In addition, on the same panel there are buttons responsible for locking cross-axle differentials.

Gearbox in this car – automatic 4-speed, which has an overdrive function that turns off top gear, and the car can also start from 2nd gear.

As for the transfer case, its reduction ratio is 2.488:1. Also, a feature of this transmission is the final drives, thanks to them and the suspension, the Mega Cruiser’s ground clearance is 420 mm.

Off-road performance

Toyota Mega Cruiser is created for calm ride off-road, the car overcomes rocky terrain and other difficult off-road areas especially easily. To provide the car with such off-road capabilities, it was necessary to pay attention not only to ground clearance, but also to suspension travel. In this case, the suspension both front and rear is independent and torsion bar. The chassis parts are so large and strong that they are very difficult to damage.

Brakes on all wheels – disc and ventilated, they are located not inside the wheels, but on the drive shafts. Military versions even have centralized wheel inflation. But on civilian models of the Mega Cruiser there is no pumping, but the tubes for this system are in their places.

Creates some difficulties standard tires to their owners, because the dimension of these tires is 37x12.5, and the radius is 17.5. To get rid of these problems, the easiest way is to order 18-inch wheels along with tires. Mud tires It is very difficult to find wheels with a radius of 17.5 inches.

Body Features

The body also has a number of special features, such as a carbon fiber hood, and there is also a folding spare wheel gate equipped with a cable drive. In order to lift the spare tire, you can use a small winch, which is installed for this purpose.

It is also possible to replace the rear part of the roof, which is located above the trunk, with a higher one. The Mega Cruiser is weighted quite well due to the fact that the engine is slightly pushed into the interior tunnel, and the batteries are located in a special place under the passenger seat.

Impressive dimensions

When you drive a Mega Cruiser, you don't worry about its large size, thanks to its excellent visibility; the Hummer, for example, has worse visibility.

Because installed in Mega Cruiser independent suspension , so the ride of this car is very soft, no shaking or pitching is felt, the car swallows all the small bumps, because the wheels are large, and this is only a plus. As for cross-country ability, this car has it at the highest level. Large ground clearance does its job - the car can overcome very difficult areas - high stone slopes, forests and swamps.

At first it’s hard to imagine that one can jump off-road so easily, but it happens and the Mega Cruiser demonstrates it.

The machine is operated in harsh conditions Russian roads with a bang, and in off-road mode and breaks down very rarely. Despite the fact that the car is very rare, spare parts can always be obtained for it, although you will have to wait a while, because delivery from Japan will take some time.

And now the Toyota Mega Cruiser demonstrates in a video a master class on how to get out of the mud: