Toyota Australia's V6 HiLux Heroes stunt driving team entertained more than 2.75 million people in 2008 using only mildly modified versions of the tough 4x2, V6-powered Toyota HiLux ute.

The stunt vehicles are standard apart from the fitting of upgraded shock absorbers, a lock differential, custom exhaust and special wheels.

Team founder and director Scott Anderson said more than 400 hours of development time and 100 hours of testing went into ensuring the vehicles were ready for the stunt shows.

Toyota supplier Bilstein developed a suspension package that softened overall bump and slowed rebound to cope with the rigours of jumping a vehicle more than 12 metres between ramps.

"To be honest, there was little we had to do to the vehicles to make them show-ready," Anderson said.

"Obviously, when you jump a vehicle over a 12-metre gap there are enormous loads being transferred through the suspension, so shocks with a greater movement range were fitted.

"HiLux is built to withstand rough treatment and no underbody modifications were needed."

Further modifications involved fitting a lock differential to the four show vehicles - while the vehicle used for driving on its two driver-side wheels employs a locked differential and larger wheels.

All vehicles are fitted with a custom exhaust from the engine extractors back - resulting in a rich engine note.

Lead driver Jack Monkhouse said V6 HiLux is well suited to stunt driving.

"The V6-powered HiLux is a very compliant and easy vehicle to drive - straight out of the box. They are great fun," Monkhouse said.

"In fact, from the drifting displays to the jumping and two-wheeled driving we do, the HiLux has really impressed the team."

The Toyota V6 HiLux Heroes sport a distinctive red, black and white livery complemented by SR5 HiLux bumpers, front fog lights, a hard tonneau cover and 16-inch alloy wheels.