The Toyota Ambulance Himedic '21 is a road car produced by Toyota. The ambulance variant of the H200 generation HiAce, it first appears in Gran Turismo 7 as part of Update 1.36.
The example in-game is based on a model used by the Fukuoka City emergency services.
Players who watched the Nations Cup stream of the 2023 World Series Showdown from the in-game Viewers Gift campaign banner gained early access to this vehicle. Those who watched the stream before 23:59 (UTC) of August 13, 2023 received the car as a gift on August 14, with those who watched it before 23:59 (UTC) of August 20, 2023 receiving the car on August 21.[1][2] The car was later made available in Brand Central as part of Update 1.38.
Colors[]
Only one color is available for this car:
- Fukuoka Ambulance No. 20 (white, unnamed in-game)
In-game description[]
"Saving lives faster and more safely."
Having a good ambulance can make the difference between life or death. From the 1950s, Toyota has produced ambulances made from specially outfitted passenger and commercial vehicles. The latest of these is the third-generation "Himedic" high-standard ambulance.
The body is based on the 200 Series HiAce Super Long that was outfitted by Toyota's race car development and customization team, Toyota Customizing & Development. Propelling the 220.5 inches long, 74.6 inches wide, 98.0 inches tall body is the 2TR-FE, a 2.7-liter inline-4 gasoline engine. The front and rear of the vehicle are fitted with an all-LED array of red warning lights.
The interior was designed with the utmost functionality in a lifesaving situation. In the patient area, the high roof of the HiAce was raised even further to secure 72.8 inches of vertical space, and for the first time on an ambulance of this type, it has sliding doors on both sides. Space in the patient area has also been improved over the previous model by the strategic relocation of specialized equipment such as the hand wash basin.
The third-generation Himedic received regular updates, making sure it is always up to date. In 2009, the seat layout was rearranged to increase space. In 2013, the gauges were replaced by a multifunction display as standard equipment, allowing the operators to track data such as average fuel consumption and atmospheric temperature. Also, from 2020, the Himedic came with the Toyota Safety Sense, a preventative safety package, as standard equipment, and the 4-speed automatic transmission was upgraded to a 6-speed unit.
In November 2020, production of the Himedic reached 10,000 units, making it one of the lifesaving vehicles in Japan.
Brand Central (GT7)[]
The Toyota Himedic is one of Japan's most iconic ambulatory vehicles. Not only does it transport sick and injured persons to the hospital... But it is also fitted with a wealth of medical devices necessary for saving lives... Allowing first-responders to perform essential medical procedures while en route to the ER.[3] For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as a 'high-standard ambulance.' Toyota's first Himedic made its debut in 1992, and was the first ambulance of its kind in Japan. The name 'Himedic' is a catchy portmanteau of the words 'high' and 'medical.'[4]
Acquisition[]
| Game | Purchase location | Credits | Other methods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo 7 (  v1.36[6]+) |
Toyota Brand Central | 0 | Participate in the 2023 GTWS Showdown Nations Cup Viewer Campaign.[5] |
Trivia[]
- This is currently the tallest vehicle in the Gran Turismo series.
- In Arcade Mode and Custom Races, it can only be raced in one-make races.
- Prior to its introduction as a playable vehicle, it made several appearances in the series as a scenery car. A similar model to this one appeared as a scenery car on the Autopolis International Racing Course layouts added in Update 1.34 in GT Sport and in GT7 on Tsukuba Circuit, before being added into GT7 as a fully playable vehicle. Being one of only few cars in GT7 to appear both as a playable vehicle and as well as being featured as scenery car.
- This is the first real-world emergency vehicle to appear in the series.
- It comes with an actual license plate registered in Fukuoka by default (福岡 830 せ 99-20), which belonged to one of the prefectural emergency services. The exact car also had appeared in a fan event coinciding with an Avispa Fukuoka-Kashiwa Reysol J.League game held on March 4th, 2023.[7]
- Decals cannot be placed on the default license plate in the Livery Editor; a custom license plate from GT Auto must be installed before decals can be added.
- It features a functional siren that can be toggled on and off by pressing the horn button. Holding the button while the siren is working also gives an alternate version.
- It features various announcements spoken in Japanese, such as when selecting it in the garage and when toggling the lights. The meanings of them are as follows:
- Selecting the car: "救急車が出動します。ご注意ください。 (An ambulance is starting off. Please be careful.)"
- Using the turn signals: "左(右)へ曲がります。ご注意ください。 (Turning left (right). Please be careful.)"
- Turning on the hazard lights: "交差点に進入します。ご注意ください。 (Entering the crossing. Please be careful.)"
- Turning off the hazard lights: "ご協力ありがとうございました。 (Thank you for your cooperation.)"
- Flashing the headlights: "救急車が通ります。進路を譲ってください。 (An ambulance is approaching. Please make way.)"
- Its first promotional screenshot cameoed the appearances of the Maserati MC20 '20 and the Chevrolet Corvette (C1) '58, which accompanied it alongside the Toyota GR Corolla MORIZO Edition '22 and the Toyota Alphard Executive Lounge '18.
- Because it is set to have a price of Cr. 0 in Brand Central, it cannot be sold once obtained. Additionally, the new chassis and new engine price in Tuning Shop is listed as free, and the Purchase button reads Send to Garage instead. It is one of two cars in-game that can be acquired for free in Brand Central, the other being the AFEELA Prototype 2024.
- Because of this, it is considered as a gift car in the garage, and it cannot be used to complete the "Firm Favorite" trophy.
- The lights can be changed from red to blue through the Light Cover settings in the Livery Editor.
- Standing 2,490 mm (98 in) tall, the Himedic is the tallest vehicle in the series.
- As a consequence, it may not be possible to fit the Himedic in certain Scapes without the workaround of selecting a smaller car, moving it, and then replacing it. Similar issue is present with the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor '11, Toyota Tundra TRD Pro '19, and to lesser extent, the Toyota Alphard Executive Lounge '18.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Toyota HiAce Ambulance Scenery (GT Sport).jpg (148 KB)")
Notes[]
- ↑ Celebrating the World Series Showdown 2023 with Two Special Giveaway Campaigns! Enter to Win In-Game Prizes and Early Access to the Toyota Ambulance Himedic!
- ↑ The Gran Turismo 7 August Update: Four New Cars, Including One You Can Sample Before Its Official Release!
- ↑ Emergency room, i.e. a hospital
- ↑ It is also a reference to the car's base model, the HiAce.
- ↑ The car from the Viewer Campaign was delivered on August 14, 2023 if the player participated before August 13, or on August 21, 2023, if the player participated between August 14 to 20. The player had 30 days from the distribution date to claim the car obtained this way.
- ↑ Not obtainable from Brand Central until v1.38.
- ↑ ベススタに救急車がやってくる！ ３／４（土）柏戦 楽しいスタジアムイベントのお知らせ (An ambulance is coming to Best Denki Stadium on March 4 (Saturday)! Avispa-Kashiwa match fan stadium event announcement) - Avispa Fukuoka Official Website (Japanese)