The top-spec Toyota Land Cruiser Arctic truck is sold in Russia for only 900,000?

The title of this article is nothing new. I have never been a headliner, and I have always despised those keyboard car gods who never leave their homes. But I was still shocked when I went to Russia. The top-of-the-range Land Cruiser LC200 in Russia is also a diesel 4.5L twin-turbocharged model, and the price is equivalent to about 700,000 yuan! This is the top-end model of the Land Cruiser, and its configuration is much higher than that sold in China. Can you afford this price? Then including Arctic truck modifications, the total price is only about 900,000.

I have been exposed to Arctic trucks for a long time, and there are many friends around me who ask about Arctic trucks. Today we’ll talk about the top-of-the-line Land Cruiser LC200 AT35 that we tested in Russia. The test drive took place on the shores of Lake Baikal, and the car belonged to the Irkutsk Beihai Hotel.

We drove in Russia with only two cars and five people, so it was very relaxing and comfortable along the way. There are fewer people, fewer cars and less travel. It is relaxing and moderate. In Irkutsk, we borrowed two Arctic trucks. One is today’s protagonist, the Toyota Land Cruiser, and the other is the Toyota Hilux, which I will introduce to you later.

The water resources around Lake Baikal are extremely rich. In early summer, the icebergs melt and the rivers are plentiful. Along the path, we went all the way south on the southern shore of Lake Baikal. There are many lakeside campsites similar to the ones in the picture. If you have the opportunity, It must be very pleasant to camp here to escape the heat. Since the population density in Russia is not large, and there is no control over rivers like this, it is common to cut down trees and bring them home to burn firewood, let alone barbecues.

The snow-capped mountains in the distance are faintly visible, and Lake Baikal has just thawed. Summer will be a different scene. A very nice resort, undisturbed, quiet and natural~

Except for the need to wade across the river, the rest of the way is all gravel roads, with the occasional small cross axis, which is really not a problem. it. After all, the 35-inch tire size is here to carry, which is also the significance of the Arctic Truck AT35 crossing style modification. When many people hear the name Arctic Truck, they think it is used in ice and snow conditions, but this is not the case. Arctic Trucks is a brand with the English name ARCTIC TRUCKS, the largest modification factory in Iceland. Now it has become an international modification brand. The AT in the AT35 number is the abbreviation of the full name, and 35 is the largest tire diameter that this modified set can accommodate. Of course there are AT32, AT33, AT38, AT44 and so on.

When off-road tires are larger, they have obvious advantages in passability, not just the advantages brought by theoretical data such as increased approaching passing and departure angles. After the tires were added, the grip and the effect of negotiating ditches and bumps were greatly improved. The ups and downs of the seemingly cross-axle were easily rolled over, and there was not even a bit of slippage.

The most obvious effect of the increase in tire diameter is that the ground clearance of the rear axle is actually increased, making it possible to cross stone-strewn riverbeds with confidence. You can clearly feel the impact between the tire and the uneven rocks, and you can also feel the friction and slippage between the AT tire tread and the rocks, but as long as there is no bottom support, it is effortless to pass.

It is also good to rinse tires and wheels in very shallow water like this, because the underwater rocks are slightly slippery, so I still dare not go into the water.

The words Toyota D4D 4500 V8 Twin Turbo together represent Toyota’s most powerful diesel engine currently. D4D is the name of Toyota's diesel technology. In addition, there are the old 3.0T engine and the 4500 V8 single-turbo engine used on the LC79, which all belong to D4D technology. The twin-turbo V8 engine equipped on the LC200 has a maximum horsepower of 235 horsepower, which is similar to the current mainstream 2.0T engine, and the peak torque reaches 650 Nm. This is the most attractive part of diesel vehicles. You will fall deeply in love with the surging low torque after driving it, especially in off-road situations. There is no need to increase the speed, just apply the accelerator gently, and the vehicle can get out of trouble effortlessly. Beneath the appearance of a gentleman lies a passionate heart.

Departing from Irkutsk, we followed the mountain road all the way to the small town on the southern shore of Lake Baikal. It was so fun to drive the LC200 with KDSS on this mountain road. Locally, this section of the road is a provincial highway connecting Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude, and it is also the most popular mountain running route for motorcycle enthusiasts in Irkutsk. I have driven this road many times and am familiar with it. I have driven a BMW and a Land Cruiser before. This time I drove an Arctic truck and it felt very special.

The large-size tires do not cause any sluggishness, every corner is very sharp, and the body posture is well controlled. Sometimes, if high visibility is not considered, it is a bit similar to the feeling of running a family car up a mountain. Of course, there is still a difference compared with sports cars. The only fly in the ointment is Toyota's brakes. The original braking feeling is a bit soft. After modifying the 35-inch tires, you need to pay special attention to the braking distance.

Let’s talk about modification again. First of all, Arctic truck modification is a system. If an unmodified vehicle is sent over, the development cycle can even take several months. It’s not that Russians procrastinate on earning working hours, but that if they get serious, they will compete for certain data. Therefore, the modification of Arctic trucks is the most rigorous modification that I have come across so far.

The winch has a built-in bracket. The winch brand is Come Up, which is headquartered in Taiwan, my country. The front bumper was not modified too much, just cutting a small part to expose the winch fairlead and clutch wrench.

The wheel eyebrows are still very popular, and many friends are asking whether the wheel eyebrows can be purchased separately. The answer is no. The reason is that Arctic Trucks does not sell wheel eyebrows separately first of all, and it is also for the protection of intellectual property rights. In addition, even if you sell a set separately, you will not be able to install it when you bring it back to China. Because installing this wheel arch requires cutting the front bumper, fenders, and even wheel well linings and body brackets on the frame. Let’s talk about the glue applied on the fenders and fenders. The brand is 3M, produced in the United States. The product features can withstand extremely low temperatures without the glue hardening. In Russia, the glue used in the entire vehicle is not a small expense. However, I have been looking for it for a long time in China. The glue I can buy is different from the type used in Arctic trucks, and the low-temperature resistance is still different. But if you don’t go to the North Pole or the South Pole, there is no difference if you use it~

The ARCTIC TRUCKS sticker on the body is what every Arctic truck owner yearns for, and it may have developed a bit like the soul of North Carolina. This set of stickers costs 2,000 yuan, can you bear it?

Let’s talk about the parts of this car other than the basic modification of the Arctic truck. The top frame is one of them. First of all, the installation location of the antenna is really unreasonable in China, but height-limiting poles are rarely seen in Siberia, Russia, so there is nothing wrong with installing the antenna this way. The 360° illumination of the entire car's spotlights with no blind spots is great. If a light guide plate is added under the front spotlights, it can effectively prevent the glare on the machine cover after the spotlights are turned on. There are domestic modification factories that have already done this, which is worthy of praise.

The surrounding spotlights are also very well installed.

The high-mounted air inlet design of the Arctic truck is very good, but the price is also very good. Compared with the common ones in China, they are more elegant. There are two air intake locations: one above the front windshield and the other on the side of the passenger A-pillar.

Arctic truck modification, the modification of the spare tire bracket is also part of the basic modification. The bracket and spare tire area were re-cut and welded enough to accommodate a 35-inch spare tire. The 35-inch data is also the maximum size that can be accommodated by a bottom-mounted spare tire. If the vehicle is 37 or 38 inches, the rear bumper must be replaced as a rear spare tire.

Most of the surrounding snow has become slippery, and it is not easy to find a snow spot. I encountered a relatively clean snow layer with a certain thickness and tried the driving performance with normal tire pressure.

This picture shows the performance of the tire on the snow after it is deflated. There is a clear difference in how deep the tires sink, which is why Arctic Trucks use larger tires for the Polar Crossing.

The sunset on the shores of Lake Baikal is really beautiful, so beautiful that it makes people miss it and yearn for it. At the end of the day's test drive, if I use any word to describe it, it should be beautiful. The modification of the LC200 AT35 is not exaggerated, adding tougher elements to the already very refined appearance. Together, it becomes a companion that can take you on long-distance self-driving trips and even across large terrains. This is the Arctic Truck!

Everyone has their own understanding of modification. The same thing is a heart that is not willing to be ordinary, but the difference is the usage scenario and everyone's aesthetics. Arctic trucks are a modified style, different from Australia and North America. It exists aloofly, and maybe not many people understand it. I just like it quietly~

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.