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Having a tough guy reputation isn't all it's cracked up to be, just ask the Toyota Hilux. When the first Hilux rolled off the production line back in 1968 few would have thought that it would be built for six-generations and become notorious for unfailing durability and reliability. But this hard man rep comes at a cost, competitors want to tear into you, popular TV shows perform cruel experiments like dropping you from a crane, and your advertising campaigns use slogans that were swear words in the 1950s. However the Hilux was built for the tough times and with this 2008 model it's still strong and still looking sharp. The Hilux has gained a reputation for exceptional sturdiness and reliability, even during sustained heavy use and/or abuse, and is often referred to as inThe Indestructible Truckin. This was further reinforced on the BBC motoring show Top Gear, when a 1988 diesel Hilux with 305,775 km (190,000 mi) on the odometer was subjected to extraordinary abuse (in series 3, episodes 5 and 6). This consisted of driving it down a flight of steps, scraping buildings, crashing headlong into a tree, being washed out to sea, and being submerged for four hours, driving it through a garden shed, dropping a caravan onto it, hitting it with a wrecking ball, setting its cabin and bed area on fire,[12] and, finally, placing it on top of a 73 m (240 ft) block of apartments that was next destroyed by a controlled demolition.[13] Although it was now suffering from severe structural damage, the truck was still running after being repaired without spare parts, and with only typical tools that would be found in a truck's toolbox, such as screwdrivers, motor oil, and an adjustable wrench,[14] however WD-40 was used to get the engine going after it had been recovered from the sea. The Hilux currently rests as one of the background decorations in the Top Gear studio. The 3.0-litre common-rail 4-cylinder diesel engine whacks out 126kW of power and a stump-pulling 343Nm of torque. These are strong stats among the Hilux's competitors and are key factors in the Hilux being the ute to beat. The diesel unit offers pace on the road, shifting off the line with haste and happily humming along at cruising speeds. What's more impressive is the Hilux's ability to tow or haul very heavy loads with the full compliment of torque being available from just 1,400 rpm. Combined with a 2.25-tonne braked towing capacity the Hilux can just drag anything it can't carry.