Toyota turns Fortuner into a 310 horsepower rally SUV

We're not doubting the off-roading chops of the Toyota Fortuner, but the folks at TRD Indonesia have given the SUV quite the shot in the arm by giving it motorsport credentials. TRD Indonesia ripped out all the creature comforts and turned it into a rally raid racer.

The rally raid Fortuner gets extensive bodywork modifications to meet the demands of cross country rallying. Toyota Team Indonesia (TTI) took out the front bumper, widened the fenders, gave it beefier quarter panels and raised the ride height. Now, there's a front skid plate along with a mesh grill and a wider stance for that extra bit of aggression.

It rides on chunky Yokohama Geolandar tires and the wheels came straight out of the TRD catalogue. Rally raid-spec suspension adds height to the racy SUV and the rear live axle was strengthened to survive grueling rally stages. At the back, it looks fairly standard although the locking pins on the tailgate suggests the panel has been replaced with fiberglass.

Toyota Team Indonesia's work goes far beyond aesthetics. While TTI isn't releasing any official figures, it is reported that the rally Fortuner's diesel mill makes 310 PS and a staggering 750 Nm of torque. That's quite a lot more than the standard 2.8-liter D-4D turbodiesel in more pedestrian versions which make 177 PS and 450 Nm of torque.

The rally-spec Fortuner actually made its competition debut last year at the Asia Cross Country Rally. It was heavily modified to allow former MotoGP racer Takuma Aoki to take part in the rally. Aoki suffered a severe accident, leaving him bound to a wheelchair.

This special Fortuner comes with special hand controls for Aoki to pilot the rally raid SUV comfortably. By the end of last year's rally, Aoki had finished sixth overall, a respectable result for a first time rally racer. He drove alongside Ittipon Simaraks and Katsuhiko Shiine.