Grind the pavement

Words by Charles Kha Photos by Mark Pakula

Say a nice friendly hello to one of the hottest cars you’ll see in a magazine. Ever.

To say that we’ve been pursuing the car you see before you for months would be an understatement. Hunting, or even begging, would be much more appropriate descriptions. And from the rumours that we’ve heard, it seems like we weren’t the only magazine hounding its owner, with everyone fighting tooth and nail to get the exclusive. We don’t know what swayed owner Jason Luttrell to opt for ASM, but let’s just say that we are proud to have a feature on what is undoubtedly one of my personal favourite cars that Australia has yet to produce.

Typically this type of fervour is reserved only for that trophy-dominating show car, or a mega-horsepower demo car produced by one of Japan’s select elite. So to have this amount of hype and fuss placed on – of all things – a Landcruiser, might seem a little bit of a waste.

That said, just one look at this thing and the interest its generated is more than justified. It is, with little doubt, one of the most neck-snapping rides you’ll ever see on the street. While most enthusiasts saddle up with a hero car and then embark on modifying one-upmanship to make their ride stand out, Jason went completely against the grain: an unsuspecting platform fitted with totally surprising modifications. And what drove him to do something so unique and distinctive? Destiny really.