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G-Shock & Toyota Made a Land Cruiser-Inspired Mudman
Celebrate Toyotathon every day on your wrist.
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Some brand partnerships just make sense. Nike and Apple. Bud Light and the NFL. Taco Bell and Doritos. G-Shock and Toyota Land Cruiser is yet another perfect pairing that belongs on the Mount Rushmore of corporate collabs. One is a watch designed to go anywhere and take a beating, the other a vehicle created for the exact same purpose. Both have devoted fanbases, and I get the feeling that G-Shock and Land Cruiser lovers alike will want to get their hands on the pair’s new collaborative watch.
To celebrate Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body‘s (henceforth referred to as TLC) nearly-30-year history of competing in the Dakar Rally, considered the most extreme motorsports event of the world, G-Shock has created a version of its similarly extreme Mudman watch that takes inspiration from both the TLC racing team and the desert-run rally itself.
The G-Shock x Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body Mudman
The new watch is based on the Mudman GW9500, one of G-Shock’s most rugged watches. And since the only thing the brand makes is rugged watches, that’s saying something. Like all Mudman GW9500s, the TLC collab combines a lightweight Carbon Core Guard interior with a mud- and dust-resistant shell, keeping the watch comfortable while increasing its toughness.
It’s also solar-powered with atomic timekeeping, boasts a dynamic dual-layer LCD that provides a separate layer for a compass display (that should come in handy during the 10,000km Dakar Rally course) and a Triple Sensor with a digital compass, barometer/altimeter and thermometer — again, all things that will come in mighty handy while racing through the desert.
But all of those features can be found on your everyday Mudman GW9500, so what sets this Toyota-fied version apart? For one, it’s the first in the series to feature stainless steel bezel components. It also has a custom color scheme with black and red ion plating to match the Land Cruiser 300 GR Sport rally car’s paint scheme.
The TLC logo appears on the watch’s caseback, strap and as an Easter egg on the display when using the Super Illuminator LED backlight. And lastly, the black rubber strap has been given a brown, sand-splattered pattern to emulate tire tracks across the desert. Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll never have to worry about getting it dirty since it always looks dirty. (Let’s be real, though; Mudman owners are not worried about getting their watches dirty.)
The collaborative new watch, reference GW9500TLC-1, is available now for $440, which is a $60 increase over the standard Mudman GW9500. Whether that uptick in price is worth it to you probably depends on whether or not you consider Toyotathon a national holiday.
G-Shock x Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body Mudman GW9500TLC-1
Specs
| Case Size | 56.7mm × 52.7mm |
| Movement | Casio Module 3553 solar atomic quartz multifunction |
| Water Resistant | 200m |
Pros
- One of the most rugged, adventure-ready watches around
- Fun callouts to the Toyota Land Cruiser and Dakar Rally
Cons
- Costs more than a standard Mudman with only stylistic differences
- Mammoth case size
