Victoria Police has launched a new operation targeting hoons, but it takes its name from a vehicle you’d rarely find performing burnouts.
On Facebook, Eyewatch – Campaspe Police Service Area posted that a driver had been charged as a part of Operation HiJet, a new anti-hoon initiative.
Unfortunately, the HiJet name is most commonly linked with a small Daihatsu kei truck sold over 11 generations since 1960 in Japan, where it’s still produced. The HiJet is not officially sold in Australia but is relatively popular here as a niche grey-market import.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.
-
A Daihatsu HiJet, not performing a burnout
Measuring just 3.0 metres long and 1.3m wide, the first Hijet was powered by a 360cc two-stroke engine, as required by the Japanese kei car laws of the time.
But over the years its engine and dimensions grew in line with legislation, to 550cc in 1976 and then 660cc for 1990.
Today’s HiJet truck is powered by a puny mid/front-mounted 658cc (0.658-litre) three-cylinder petrol engine, which is barely able to make 50kW from the factory – even in turbocharged from – and measures 3.4m long and 1.475m wide.
While there are examples which have been modified with larger engines producing more power, it’s likely you won’t see one drifting down your local road, even if the standard HiJet is rear-wheel drive.
The first known motorist charged under Operation HiJet was a man intercepted by police after they received complaints about someone performing burnouts in wet weather.
According to the Capaspe Police Service Area, “the tyres were found to be extremely worn out during the safety inspection”, leading to the driver being charged with a major defect notice, and issued a $790 fine.
