ICON 4x4 creates a special Baja-Edition FJ40 for a special client

It isn’t every day that your colleagues gift you a car as part of your performance review, but for one particular ICON 4x4 customer, he got a special custom-built FJ40 from his business partner.

In a video made to detail this particular FJ40 Baja Edition, Jonathan Ward, founder of ICON 4x4, said it was commissioned for one of ICON’s first clients – named Jimmy – who ordered an FJ45 ute a decade ago.

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The person who commissioned this FJ40, however, was Jimmy’s business partner who saw one of ICON’s original custom Baja FJs and made a passing remark that should their business reach “a particular financial threshold”, he will get him one of the Californian-based company’s Baja-inspired creations.

Though Ward says it is likely that Jimmy might have forgotten that remark, his business partner didn’t. Even though ICON no longer builds the Baja Edition 4x4s – as it was a limited edition run produced in conjunction with Score Racing to commemorate an anniversary of the Baja 1000 – Ward made an exception for Jimmy. There are also several key differences to make it more suitable for the road.

While ICON’s original FJ Baja Edition creations were focused for off-road racing and came fitted with racing-spec bucket seats with five-point harnesses, no air-conditioning, and full racecar spec centre console, this FJ40 Baja Edition was built with an eye on everyday usability.

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*Pictured: Original ICON 4x4 FJ40 Baja Edition

As such, the air-conditioning is retained on the FJ40 Baja, as is the standard centre console and standard front seats with folding rear bench seats. Instead of the bare brushed aluminium bodies on ICON’s original FJ Baja models, the FJ40 Baja is finished in Summit Grey for easier maintenance.

To complement its purposeful appearance, the custom FJ40 is fitted with a Warn Winch, ICON front bumper, and a custom Baja-style cage with the rear bumper deleted to fit the spare wheel carrier that is integrated into the cage.

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Underneath, the FJ40 Baja Edition mechanicals are brought up to date with all the usual ICON fitments for their custom FJ creations. This includes the 6.2-litre LS3 V8 paired to a 4L65 Hydra-Matic automatic transmission, Advance Adapters Atlas II transfer case for part-time 4WD, coil suspension, Dynatrac axles, ARB locking diff front and rear, and ICON sports brakes by Brembo.