Near our home here in suburban Tokyo is a Hino Motors Assembly Plant – I’m sure most CC Readers know Hino is Toyota’s truck and coach subsidiary. In addition to assembling a variety of both Hino buses and Toyota 4WD models, the plant also makes trucks for the Japanese Self Defense Forces. Located outside the plant are several vehicle overflow parking areas; and walking by one recently it dawned on me that here was my chance to get that Jim Dunne-like photo I’ve always dreamed of…
Well, not really. I imagine the fence is more for security than secrecy – these BXD10 models have been produced since the mid-1990’s. As you can see, Toyota cribbed quite a bit from then AM General and later GM’s High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV technical/HUMVEE colloquial).
HMV With Type 91 SAM System
Like the HUMVEE, they come in multiple versions – compared to the M-998, the BXD is a foot longer and a few inches taller — but about a foot narrower – it also weighs 1,000 lbs less. It differs from the HUMVEE in two other major areas; first, the engine is a Toyota 4.1 litre turbocharged inline four cylinder diesel, that puts out 153 hp and 282 ft lbs of torque. Second, the BXD has four-wheel steering, which results in significantly improved maneuverability and a tighter turning radius.
Similar to AM General and GM, Toyota built a civilian model; the Mega Cruiser (BXD20) – made from 1996 to 2002. Again, like the Hummer it came with portal axles, a fully independent suspension, full-time 4-wheel drive with locking front, center and rear differentials, inboard brakes set way up high against the differentials, and a central tire inflation system.
Japan Auto Federation (JAF) similar to AAA
It was offered to civilian police and fire agencies, and a limited number were sold to the public. But as you can imagine if you have ever driven on Japan’s narrow roads, it didn’t find many private buyers being over six feet wide. In addition, it was expensive – price for a 1996 model new was over $90,000. As a result, only 151 private owner Mega Cruisers left the factory over seven years. Today, if you can find one, they fetch over $100K.
So the civilian model left the scene in 2002, but the military model remains in production.
M-998 Slantback
Speaking of the HUMVEE, I drove several different models during my military career – I hated them. While they were great off-road; could pretty much go up, down or across anything, inside they were terrible. With the wide tunnel running down the middle, there was very little interior room. Couple that with the typical M-series military vehicle seat adjustments – which is a semi-circle hinge that went forward one inch and back one inch – that was it for seat travel. With my height, I could stand about thirty minutes behind the wheel before the leg and back spasms started.
M-1009
M-1008
Anytime I was assigned a HUMVEE, I’d go to our Transportation section and swap it for a M-1009 which was a militarized mid-’80’s Blazer K5. Those, and the M-1008 pickup, had regular sliding seat tracks. We referred to these as “CUCKVEE’s” as they were called a Commercial Utility Cargo Vehicle (CUCV) in the purchase contract. Like the HUMVEE, both had the 6.2 litre GM diesel. Those couldn’t quite go as many places off-road as the HUMVEE but they were so much more comfortable.
Hey, a GI’s life is hard enough…
Chinese makes the copy of AM General Humvee from three companies. The most common one is Denfeng CKS141. It is service for PLA and exported to several countries. Another version of Chinese copy was from Shenyang Aircraft Corporations (SAC), its copy uses aluminum alloy on its chassis. But it was never in production.
Dongfeng is headquartered not far from Wuhan, the center of coronavirus.
Yes, Chinese managed to get quite few Humvees and made typical unlicensed copies. I saw all of them as early as around 2002, quite smart copies to be honest.
WTF???? What an oddity.
Why didn’t Toyota just take the Land Cruiser? I mean in every (civil) war that we see in the news, there are Land Cruisers galore. I didn’t even know that this Mega thing existed, let alone saw it anywhere.
I’ve been amused for a long time that Toyota has Hummer envy… Still copying GM…
Those M-1009’s are highly sought after in certain circles, though…
Umm, you do know that GM had nothing to do with the Humvee?
And that military requirements for certain tasks are inevitably going to result in similar outcomes.
The HMMWV was built by AM General, which at one time was a part of American Motors, not GM. Certain mechanical components were sourced from GM like the engine and transmission. The transfer case was from a company called New Venture Gear, which was a joint venture between GM and Chrysler.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Venture_Gear
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AM_General
Small correction. The transfer cases were actually made by New Process Gear, which eventually became New Venture Gear.
I’ve always wanted to check out a MegaCruiser in person, I remember talking with you about them in Tokyo, thanks for writing it up, it’s always interesting to hear about things from people who have (more or less) direct experience with something or at least the use case that they are purposed for.
Yes, I remember you mentioning it too. I’ve never seen one here in all my years in Japan so they are certainly scarce. I even checked to see if they had one on display at the Toyota Museum in Nagoya – didn’t see it.
Just FYI, here’s the list of vehicles at the Museum – hope you can make it over again…
https://toyota-automobile-museum.jp/archives/car-database/
I want to…That is a phenomenal list of museum cars, thanks! I’m sure T87 will make his way down there sooner or later too.
It’s on the bucket list for sure!
Thanks for the post, Jim-san.
I’ve seen a few ToyoHumms about in Gunma – there must be a SDF base nearby. Before you pointed out they were locally-made, I’d assumed they were just US-made. Never saw a civilian one, though I have seen a couple Humvees around…
Toyota Mega Cruiser – for when your Landcruiser isn’t taking enough carspots for you.
Well I never. Never heard of it, that is.
Here’s a question. With the Hummer and this thing, why on earth are they so manspreadingly wide? Does it perhaps effectively lower the high centre of gravity caused by the portals? And if that’s vaguely right, why are none of the Unimog variations used by military anything like as engorged? It’s not like that space is well-used, as Our Man From the Buses Jim has said.
I’ll take a guess Justy and agree with you that a wider stance does lower the CG. That, and having all the innards that typically just hang underneath tucked up into the large tunnel. Lastly, the engine is set back also to help front/rear balance and intrudes into the front seat area.
As for the Unimog, I think it sets higher – Mercedes may have decided the increased interior room was worth the higher CG or came up with a more elegant engineering solution. Jim.
The M151 Jeep was what the military used before the HMMWV. The Jeep had a reputation of having rollover problems. One of the reasons for making the HMMWV so wide was to solve the rollover problem, the other being as you said to accommodate the mechanicals. The CUCV was an interim solution until the HMMWV came out.
Rollover video
https://www.military.com/video/logistics-and-supplies/army-equipment/army-jeep-rollover-test-fail/2893221671001