Japanese tuner Axell Auto has brought a new Toyota Hilux with a retro-inspired body kit called the "Brody" to the Tokyo Auto Salon that takes the car back to the 80s. It fits right in with all the other wild and impressive builds that tuners and manufacturers have brought and gives us a glimpse of a little forbidden fruit for all of us in the US.

By the looks of the truck, it seems to be reminiscent of the face on a fourth or fifth-generation Hilux, with massive chrome bumpers and vertical slit grill being a wonderful homage to the 80s. The fifth-gen Hilux was actually the last one sold here in the US, being replaced by the Tacoma in the mid-90s.

The rest of the body kit consists of two sets of square LED headlights with separate indicators surrounded by either a black or chrome grille depending on the model shown. The hood is also flatter and higher than on a stock Hilux, giving the vehicle a very different presence from the stock vehicle.

The general feel of the car is reminiscent of another conversion done by the tuner Flat Out Autos that turned a modern-day Chevy Tahoe into a late 60s K5 tribute. While these modded Hiluxes are a lot less involved, the mods are tasteful. The tuner brought three different versions of the truck, two off-road-oriented vehicles and a street truck.

The blue truck is the regular version, offering 17-inch wheels dressed in Yokohama Geolander X-AT tires and black trim pieces throughout. It also comes with a black bed-topper that helps to make the vehicle look rugged but simple.

The street truck called the "Lowdown" then offers something a bit more practical for on-road endeavors. It's obviously lowered a few inches, sitting on black wheels wearing Yokohama Advan Sport tires. It offers a unique and functional rear bed cover that can be raised to help ease the transport of larger items.

Finally, the bronze-colored "Highlift" truck is the real offroad model, offering a lift and many other off-road accessories like a lightbar on the front bumper, all-terrain tires on gorgeous bronze wheels, a roof-mounted tent with a camping kit, and side exhaust pipes.

Overall, the conversion seems well done and provides owners the chance to help their truck to stand out. The Hilux is a forbidden fruit for us, unfortunately, so it looks like we won't be seeing any of these conversions on our streets or trails anytime soon. It's a shame, because retro looks on trucks are fantastic, and need to make more of a comeback.