1985 Toyota HiLux ‘Back to the Future’ replica sells for more than $34,500

UPDATE, January 19: The Back to the Future Toyota Pickup replica has sold at auction for more than $34,500.

The hammer fell last night on the HiLux, with the winning bid of $32,100 (plus 7.5 per cent buyer’s premium) securing the pop culture icon for the new owner.

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January 17: A replica of the 1985 Toyota Pickup SR5 from the classic 1980s' trilogy Back to the Future is up for auction in Australia by Grays.

Badged as a HiLux locally, the Toyota extra-cab ute comes complete with custom bar work, KC lights, ‘TOYOTA’ windscreen decal, and black with chrome steel wheels on Goodyear Wrangler tyres. The only thing missing is the US-spec amber parking lamps.

Maybe our favourite detail is the 'Statler Toyota' sticker on the rear window, from Hill Valley, California.

While the 2.4-litre ‘22RE’ four-cylinder petrol engine fitted to the US-market Pickup probably wouldn’t have had much of a chance against Needles’s Ford F-150, this particular model is powered by a 2.2-litre ‘4Y’ Toyota engine, showing 315,000 kilometres on the clock.

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The ute might have been overshadowed by the DeLorean time machine – credited with being the most recognisable movie car of all timelines – but the vehicle did help cement Toyota as a ‘cool’ alternative in the 1980s, when Japanese cars didn’t enjoy the reputation they have today.

Despite playing second fiddle to the DeLorean, replica BTTF Toyota utes have been pulling big money in recent years, with one selling for US$110,000 (AU$153,000) back in October 2021.

At the time of writing, the auction was already above AU$25,000. If you’re wanting a truck to head up to the lake with, you can check out the Grays auction listing by clicking here.