Toyota’s affordable truck is now available for purchase in Thailand. Meanwhile, Mercedes’ heritage boss clarifies that ICE is not the firm’s heritage.

This is AM Drive, Motor1’s daily look at the news you need before you get in your car.

2024 Toyota Hilux Champ Is An Impressively Cheap Truck

Fed up with hearing about luxury trucks with exorbitant price tags? Toyota now offers a remarkably inexpensive pickup truck for sale in Thailand. Dubbed the Hilux Champ, it is essentially a production model of the IMV 0 concept showcased at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show. The starting price is a pleasantly low 459,000 baht, equivalent to $13,070 or €11,930 at current exchange rates. Even the highest-priced configuration only reaches 577,000 baht ($16,430 or €15,000).

While paint choices are limited to white, silver, or grey, there are multiple body styles available to choose from. This utilitarian vehicle can be converted into an RV, a food truck, a medical van (complete with a refrigerator), or a camper with a roof-mounted tent. Depending on the desired transformation, costs range from 80,000 baht (about $2,300) for the van to as high as 2,000,000 baht ($57,000) for the RV.