Kanye West has one of the most amazing collections of rare and unusual SUVs. It started many years ago with the Sherp, and recently, we saw him driving a yellow Isuzu Vehicross. As rare as those are, this tops them all, the Toyota Mega Cruiser.
The Mega Cruiser is the largest SUV ever made by Toyota. Between 1995 and 2001, they made only about 3,000 of these heavy-duty off-roaders which resembled the American Humvee. It was designed for military use by the Japanese Self Defense Forces. A few SUVs were also bought by the police, fire/rescue, plus 133 found their way into civilian hands.
However, this doesn’t look like one of the civilian versions. Those are called the BXD20, which has more car-like headlights and smooth doors. Kanye’s Mega Cruiser is called an HMV (high mobility vehicle) and has military-spec round lights and a stamped metal effect on the doors.
In October 2022, a white Toyota Mega Cruiser set auction records by selling or $310,000 on Cars & Bids. It was believed to be the only one in the United States with a title (Colorado license), after being imported from Kazakhstan. Very nice!
Kanye’s Toyota Mega Cruiser was first spotted in 2023 and is clearly not the same car. What’s interesting is that his music often throws shade at Toyotas. In 2005’s Gold Digger, he said “But while y’all washin’, watch him. He gon’ make it to a Benz out of that Datsun.” And in 2013’s Hold My Liquor, the lyrics say “When I parked my Range Rover Slightly scratched your Corolla Okay, I smashed your Corolla.”
You have to show respect to Bianca Censori. The 27-year-old is wearing angel wings while driving a right-hand-drive army vehicle made half a world away more than 25 years ago. Not only is the Toyota Mega Cruiser in right-hand drive, but it’s also bigger than an H1 Hummer. The vehicle is 200 inches long and 85.4 inches wide. There was even an army version designed to accommodate missile launchers in the back.
And unlike many celebrity cars, the Mega Cruiser isn’t what you’d call “fast.” The army version is supposed to weigh about 6,283 pounds (2,850 km/h). So it’s heavier than a G63, but the power comes from a 4.1-liter inline-four diesel engine which produces 153 horsepower. It’s hooked up to a 4-speed Aisin-Warner automatic transmission with a two-speed transfer case, and the 0 to 60 time is reportedly over 20 seconds.
Back in the day, a civilian Mega Cruiser retailed for 9.6 million yen or $85,000, which is more like $160,000 in today’s money. It’s safe to say that due to its rarity, this Toyota is now a collectible, and Kanye has good taste.
