This left hand drive civilian mega cruiser is the gift you want

It takes one hell of a truck to make Toyota Land Cruiser seem a little small, but the Mega Cruiser does it with aplomb. Similar in shape Hummer H1the largest and most capable Japanese SUV of its era, was built in relatively limited numbers, and most right-hand drive models were supplied to the troops. Auction site Cars and rates selling a particularly desirable Mega Cruiser: this is a left hand drive civilian model.

One of about 150 civilian units built, the 1996 Mega Cruiser looking for a new home has less than 50,000 miles on the odometer, which is very low for a large SUV approaching its 30th anniversary. There’s no word on where it came from or when it landed on our shores, but the auction description notes that it’s located in Newport Beach, California, and unsurprisingly, under a name in Montana.

The green and red liveries are aftermarket, and the listing mentions numerous additional modifications. Outside there is a folding brush guard, LED lighting and a full length roof basket. Inside, you’ll find aftermarket upholstery on the center console, about the width of a small creek, the nice spring-type cup holders often found in Japanese cars, a head-up display, and parts in the sound system. .

None of these modifications are major, and all the off-road advantages of the Mega Cruiser are taken into account. It is powered by a 4.1-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine that produces around 155 horsepower and 282 lb-ft of torque. Stop for a second and imagine the size of those cylinders. Each has a volume of about 1,025 cubic centimeters, which is about the same size as the Ford Fiesta’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine.

Output reaches all four wheels via a four-speed automatic, two-speed transfer case, triple locking differentials and portal axles. There is a four-wheel steering system, also with approximately 16.5 inches of ground clearanceit takes a huge obstacle to stop the Mega Cruiser.

Bidding is at $57,500 at the time of writing, with about three days left in the auction. There’s a reserve, which means the highest bidder won’t necessarily take home this behemoth of an SUV. It’s hard to predict how much this Mega Cruiser will sell for because its configuration is quite rare, but there’s no indication that it’s going to be cheap. Here’s some useful context: Cars & Bids has sold another low-mileage, left-hand drive Civic model for $310,000 (!) in October 2022, while a right-hand drive military model that looked remarkably well-preserved went for $36,000 in July 2023.

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