Toyota War

      Anyone interested in international relations, wars and conflicts has probably remarked an ever present theme from the war zone pictures; a Toyota pickup ridden by armed men. This image from the war zones is as common as the image of people holding AK-47s, aka Kalashnikovs. 

Toyota Hilux and AK-47s

     Ever since Toyota’s pickup, the Hilux, was introduced in 1968, it has become the indispensable commodity of all conflicts, especially in Africa and Asia. This multifaceted vehicle was as good as for carrying people as for mounting machine guns. Toyota gained a so great reputation that a war has even been named after it; Toyota War. The war fought between Libya and Chad in 1986 and 1987 has been named after Toyota’s indestructible pickup, which has intensely been used as technical by Chadian troops.

Libya civil war 2011

Toyota in Afghanistan

       From Liberia to Mogadishu it has been used in almost every single conflict in Africa in the 80s and 90s. The Toyota pickup continued its successful career in the next decade in Afghanistan. Rolling against the heavily armored humvees of the American army the Toyota pickup continues to be the vehicle of choice of Taliban and other groups. Like the AK-47, the Hilux is somewhat easily accessible, affordable and probably most importantly during a conflict, is astonishingly reliable. 

Top Gear's Toyota Hilux

     

Actually its reliability and the indestructibility of this car is so well known in the automotive industry that few years back the British TV show Top Gear proved it with a series of ruthless tests. After managing to survive in one piece all the savage tests, the Toyota pickup was finally given a rest in a Top Gear fashion hall of fame.  

   

  It seems that as long as wars will continue to exist and that Toyota will be producing it, the Hilux will continue to be the real hero of the terrorists, freedom fighters and many others.