What kind of company sells only Toyota cars that can run in harsh places such as conflict zones and disaster sites to the United Nations and NGOs?


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Almond Butterscotch

A company called ' Toyota Gibraltar Stockholdings (TGS: Toyota Gibraltar Stock Holdings) ' that sells only Toyota cars that can run in harsh environments to conflict zones and UN agencies is operated by the team of BBC's popular car program Top Gear . Compiled by official web media.

Inside the factory that only builds white Toyotas | Top Gear
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/big-reads/inside-factory-only-builds-white-toyotas

TGS is a car sales company located in Gibraltar , a gateway to the Mediterranean Sea and a key maritime traffic hub. TGS sells as many as 650 Toyota vehicles each month, which are specially customized to meet customer needs, mainly to customers such as the United Nations, NGOs, international aid agencies, and governments.

Toyota vehicles sold by TGS include the Land Cruiser , Hilux , and Hiace . “We don’t think of these as cars,” said Jonathan Gourlay, Co-CEO of TGS. We are just providing it,' he commented.

Writer Ollie Marriage points out that although some people, like myself, are attracted to the Land Cruiser's coolness, functionality, simplicity, and reliability are the most important things in TGS. The white Toyota vehicles that are used by relief teams in conflict zones, disaster areas, and third world development projects were probably sent via TGS, he said.



In recent years, hybrid and electric vehicles have been gaining popularity from the perspective of environmental protection. It has the advantage of being repairable by a mechanic. Simple and tough cars such as the Land Cruiser 70 series are said to be useful not only for UN agencies and NGOs working in conflict zones, but also for farmers in sparsely populated areas in Australia and safari tour guides in Africa.

Gourlay said that the market used to have Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, but with the trend of the times, they focused on European and North American models, and as a result, Toyota came to occupy this niche market. explained.

TGS customers don't want a Land Cruiser or Hilux on the market, they want something modified for a specific application. As a result, 90% of the Toyota cars sold by TGS are transported to the Gibraltar factory, where they are reborn as mobile libraries, mobile laboratories, prison vans, small ambulances, etc. after dozens of hours of remodeling.

Among its customers is Doctors Without Borders, which has sent small ambulances, converted from Toyota vehicles, to Ukraine, which is being invaded by Russia. ``Some major organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, always go straight to conflict zones,'' Gourlay said. , We need vehicles that can handle these harsh lands.In the three months since the war between Russia and Ukraine began, we have already sent 300 vehicles.'

TGS has extensive experience with special-purpose Toyota vehicles, such as Hiluxes used by poachers in Tanzania, relief vans in disaster areas, and pick-up trucks engaged in demining operations in the Middle East. I know what However, they do not sell anything that may be interpreted as ``military use'', and there seems to be a line that ``bulletproof blankets'' can be purchased but ``armor'' cannot be purchased.

In addition, the vehicles sold by TGS are not necessarily equipped with the latest equipment, and there are cases where old equipment is intentionally used. For example, some vehicles are equipped with

Codan radios , which are also used for doctor helicopters in Australia, but this seems to be in preparation for a coup d'état etc. when the mobile phone network goes down. “Whether or not the technology is obsolete depends on your perspective,” Marriage said. I've heard countless cases like this.'



Toyota vehicles sold by TGS come with warranties and aftermarket support, as well as a driver training program that teaches them how to drive. Valérian Lemoine, head of TGS's driver training program, said: 'We teach people how to use clutches and gears correctly, reduce wear and tear, and be a safe driver. If you drive a 2.5-ton car, You have to know how to deal with it, plus these cars are the 'face of the project' and customers don't want to be seen negatively as irresponsible drivers.' increase.

“Think about what it means when a white Toyota comes to your city, not numbers or logistics,” Marriage said. In the community, the arrival of a white Toyota car signals hope, salvation, medical care, communication, education, aid, food, and relief.'

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