In a collaboration between Toyota and G-Shock, February 1st sees the release of the Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto-Body (TLC), another evolution of the iconic G-Shock range that pursues ultimate toughness with each new development.
G-Shock MUDMAN GW-9500TLC. Credit: G-Shock.
Who are Team Land Cruiser, I hear you ask? TLC is a private team of Toyota Auto Body, a subsidiary of the Toyota Group who produce a wide range of minivans, SUVs, light commercial vehicles, and auto-parts. They have also been participating with the Land Cruiser in the Dakar Rally since 1995. Considered the world’s toughest rally, the TLC’s competing is a testament to just how much the vehicle can do.
The base model has taken shape from the MUDMAN (GW-9500) but has been downsized, now with a dual-layer LCD and a dust and mud-proof casing. Delivered in a much smaller, slimmer form, this G-Shock still guarantees to deliver the exceptional durability, operability and comfort watch lovers will expect from the brand. The rugged exterior features a multi-component structure that incorporates a special glass adhesion method and a Carbon Core Guard structure. The buttons are large and therefore easy to operate, no matter what your adventure may throw at you. Designed to keep mud and water out, the buttons are protected by cylindrical stainless-steel parts and are equipped with gasket fittings to prevent contamination by mud and dust.
G-Shock MUDMAN GW-9500TLC. Credit: G-Shock.
In a fitting aesthetic choice, the brown base-coloured band is splattered with a black design to give the watch the same look the body of the car had during the desert main stage of the Dakar Rally. The splattering depicts the dust and sand caked onto a vehicle that has been on a daring drive through the desert and adds to the G-Shock edge. The ion-plating (IP) of the front button guard maintains the same sandy, brown hue.
The TLC is the first of the GW-9500 collection to have stainless steel bezel parts and the black ion-plating finish gives the bezel a strong and luxurious final-look. The model incorporates the same black and red colours of the Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport. The basic black body and black ion-plated (IP) bezel have been accented with red on the 3 o’clock button and red lines on the side of the watch. The final result is a design that depicts the strength of a machine capable of running 10,000km under relentless conditions.
G-Shock MUDMAN GW-9500TLC. Credit: G-Shock.
In another fitting design-touch, the official watch used in the rally has a band and case back decorated with the Team Land Cruiser logo. When the LED backlight is illuminated, the TLC graphic also appears on the screen.
The dual-layer LCD provides a large readout for the bearing indication, a handy feature which can aid navigation to a precise location in the event of an emergency. The model is also able to receive time calibration signals to ensure its timekeeping remains accurate regardless of the environmental conditions the watch may be fighting against.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
- Shock-resistant structure
- Dust and mud-resistant structure
- 20bar water resistance
- Solar-powered
- Radio-controlled (Multiband 6)
- Digital compass
- Barometer
- Altimeter
- Thermometer
- Sunrise and sunset time display
- World time (48 cities)
- 1/10-second stopwatch
- Countdown timer
- 5 daily alarms
- Full-auto LED backlight (Super Illuminator)
Priced at £399 and available now from G-Shock.
