Aside from the outsized dimensions and rear-wheel steering, the Mega Cruiser is similarly equipped to AM General’s SUV: an engine mounted far back in the chassis, portal axles for extra ground clearance, an onboard tire inflation/deflation system, and full time all-wheel drive.
To afford such high ground clearance, the Mega Cruiser tucks its drivetrain high into the passenger compartment, resulting in a huge transmission tunnel dividing the occupants. Unlike the Hummer, at least, the supersize Toyota’s transmission hump stopped short of the rear seat, allowing a whopping four-across bench seat to be fitted.
Under the Mega Cruisers expansive hood, we find an interesting choice in engine: a 4.1 liter four-cylinder turbocharged diesel. While 4.1 liters is big for a four-cylinder, it’s still a four-cylinder. The output was rated at 153 horsepower and 282 pound-feet of torque, which is extremely underpowered for such a large and heavy machine.
How underpowered? According to Road & Track, accelerating from 0-60 MPH took an agonizing 20.6 seconds. In a recent test at altitude in the Colorado Rockies, a sample Mega Cruiser couldn’t even reach 60 MPH — topping out at just 50 MPH with the throttle wide open.
As a consolation, the compact diesel was able to squeeze out 13 MPG in combined highway/city driving, which isn’t exactly Prius-level fuel economy, but not awful either considering the size and weight of this monster.
[Featured image by Hunini via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]
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