Jalopnik: Tundra

Toyota Tundra Dually Returns To SEMA With Monster Diesel Mill

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST

Toyota Tundra Dually concept debuted at the 2007 SEMA show but returns for an encore with its 8.0 liter Hino heavy truck inline-six diesel engine normally used in a 35,000 lb beasts, an Eaton five-speed manual transmission and a matching Hino rear end, and you've got a truck beefy enough to drag the entire SEMA show around. We would have loved to know more about the specifics of that powertrain, but Toyota tooted its horn about the "opulent interior" and “Road Warrior exterior," 22.5 inch Alcoa wheels, blah, blah, blah. Tell us how many fully loaded train cars it can pull. Incomplete details below.

TOYOTA TUNDRA DIESEL DUALLY PROJECT TRUCK
“Road Warrior” exterior combined with luxury Interior

Making a bold and adventurous statement about the contrasts between rugged “Road Warrior” performance and opulent luxury, a Toyota Tundra CrewMax diesel dually project truck, which made its debut at the 2007 SEMA Show, is back again for SEMA 2008 in Toyota Vehicle Coral.

At its core, the Tundra light duty pickup’s stock engine was replaced with a medium duty diesel powerplant plucked from a 35,000-pound commercial truck. The 8.0-liter inline six-cylinder high-torque engine, made by Toyota affiliate Hino, is mated with an Eaton five-speed manual transmission and a Hino back end. Toyota Motorsports Technical Group heavily modified the Tundra to accommodate the beefed-up driveline.

A host of custom exterior treatments point to the off-the-charts muscle under the hood. Prominent examples include forged aluminum alloy 22.5-inch wheels custom made by Alcoa, a diamond plate-lined bed, a charcoal gray metallic flat paint finish and a fifth-wheel hitch rated at 24,000 pounds. The muscular theme on the outside shifts dramatically to that of luxury on the inside with hand-sewn ginger leather seats, suede pillars and headliner and dual rear captain’s chairs with individual DVD entertainment systems.

PARTNERS:
Engineering by Motorsports Technical Group
Interior by Fast Ed’s Interiors
Paint by Focus on Cars
Wheels by Alcoa
Power steps and fuel door by Amp Research
Sound system by Kenwood
Sound installation by Beach Auto Sound
Lighting by PIAA
Exhaust by Magnaflow
5th wheel hitch by Reese

[Source: Toyota]

Toyota Brings A Ducati To SEMA Via Big Red Custom Tundra

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST

Toyota apparently wanted a little of that Italian passion mixed into its Toyota Tundra crew cab for SEMA. Engineers stretched the frame and dropped on an awesome 6.5-foot bed set-up with all kinds of storage for track day support, then slathered the whole thing in red paint. The truck actually looks pretty darn slick in Ducati livery matching the accompanying 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR Motorcycle. Those dark, 22-inch Alcoa wheels do their part to set the paint off, but its the 500 HP supercharged V8 under hood that makes the 'go' match the 'show.' Full details on the truck and its modifications below.

TUNDRA/DUCATI TRANSPORTER

The Ducati Desmosedici RR is the only street legal MotoGP bike ever produced. The ultimate track day bike requires the ultimate transport; that’s where Toyota comes in with the 2009 Tundra Ducati Desmosedici transporter. The Tundra/Ducati Transporter is built on a Tundra CrewMax, which has been modified to accept a 6.5-inch bed. The transporter is tied thematically to the bike, incorporating Ducati Corse style along with high tech materials and execution to create synergies for two companies obsessed with quality and performance. Additional features include major bed innovations such as flip up bedsides, a motorized loading ramp by Rampage, integrated tool and spares storage, and popup solar panels for accessory power. Performance is enhanced through the full catalog of TRD Performance
parts such as supercharger, exhaust, intake, suspension and brakes. The interior treatment by Fast Ed’s Interiors combines high tech style with Italian flair.

TUNDRA/DUCATI TRANSPORTER FEATURES

• Ducati Corse Exterior by Focus On Cars
• Custom fabricated seats, sewn carpet, suede headliner by Fast Ed’s
Interiors
• Seat Massagers by In Seat Solutions-Relaxor Massage Products
• Rampage Powerlift Ramp
• Alcoa 22” custom forged aluminum wheels
• Pirelli Scorpion Zero Asimmetrico tires
• CarriageWorks Rear Roll Pan
• Toyota Racing Development Performance Parts
o TRD Boost Gauge and Pod
o Big Brake Kit
o 5.7L Supercharger (500HP/550TQ
o TRD Lowering Kit
o TRD Dual Exhaust
o TRD Sway Bar
• USAG 526V ToolBox (Official Tool Supplier to Ducati)
• RockBlocker protective light films
• VIS Racing Carbon Fiber hood

Ducati
• 2008 Ducati Desmosedici RR Motorcycle
• Ducati Corse Racing Suit by Dainese
• Ducati Corse Helmet by Arai
• Ducati Corse Boots
• Ducati Corse Gloves

[Source: Toyota]

Toyo Tires Shows Off 2008 SEMA Line-Up

Mark Arnold — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The Nissan GT-R, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, Studebaker hot rod, disfigured Bentley Continental GT, and lifted Toyota Tundra you see here are the five cars Toyo Tires will be bringing to the upcoming 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. But what's the one thing they all have in common—besides wearing Toyo rubber? They're all ridiculous caricatures! Well, the 1931 Studebaker Model 54 hot rod might not be so bad, but if the rendering pictured is accurate, its non-existent ride height means it's nothing but a trailer queen. The most subtly tuned of the rest is the Nissan GT-R, which sports some carbon-fiber body parts, an Amuse titanium exhaust and Endless six-piston brakes. The rest of the bunch are a bit more radical.

The green Mitsubish Lancer Evo X is boasting 650 HP. The Bentley Continental GT (yes that's what's hiding under that awful body kit) brags of 800 HP. The Tundra? Well it's a huge lifted truck with green tribal grpahics...need we say more? And to think this is just the tip of the SEMA iceberg. [via MotorAuthority]

Toyota A-BAT Gets Green Light, Tundra Diesel Gets Black Flag

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 09:20:00 EDT

According to Pickuptrucks.com, Toyota has given the go-ahead on a production version of the radical Toyota A-BAT concept first revealed at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. The compact, unibody pickup would be equipped with an expandable four foot cargo box and hybrid synergy drive while fitting into the footprint of the RAV4. The A-BAT would be one of only a few members of the compact segment (along with the Ford Ranger, which we still are told is on the outs, and the Pontiac G8 ST), as the rest of the competition has moved into the midsize range without saying so. Further making the point that the big truck market is on the skids, rumor has it the Toyota Tundra Diesel boss "Ken" Watenabe promised we'd eventually be seeing now has the status of indefinite delay.

But what should anyone expect? Tundra sales are in the doghouse and with diesel prices sky high, Toyota doesn't foresee a return on investment for an oil-burning engine.

Although we're told the A-BAT plans could get the axe if production prices come back too high, the idea along with the Tundra anti-plans come together to form a pretty clear picture: Trucks are going to shrink, at least from Toyota. No surprise to us as the current crop of pickups, while very capable, are also gigantic and thirsty. All we ask of Toyota in this new small truck is that they avoid building the beds from pre-rusted steel, as it would go a long way to keeping our highways cleaner in this second malaise era. [Pickuptrucks.com]

Toyota May Export Tundra And Sequoia

Andrew Stoy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EDT

Toyota appears to have hit upon a novel way of unloading excess US truck and SUV supply: Send the vehicles overseas. While no firm decisions have been made, Steve St. Angelo, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, told a group of industry observers the company's full-size Tundra pickups and Sequoia SUVs could be attractive to buyers in other countries. We'd presume he's talking about African nations, Russia and Asia, places where large vehicles still command a strong following thanks to folks with lots of money to spend. Either way, it sounds like a win-win, since Toyota could take advantage of the weak dollar and keep its US factories humming while we could offload our junk on someone else for a change. [Automotive News, Sub. Req.]

Toyota Corporate Blog Urges You To Buy A Toyota, Then Ride Your Bike

Andrew Stoy — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:40:00 EDT

Toyota is taking an unusual step on their Open Road corporate blog by promoting the idea of driving less. At first glance, this would seem oxymoronic, but Toyota is careful not to say "don't buy a Tundra." They're just saying that once you do buy a Tundra, you should leave it parked in your driveway for special occasions and hoof it everywhere else. The PR folks at Open Road also offer some suggestions in case you actually have to drive your new Toyota, like avoiding drive-throughs (Prius owners with engine shut-off are excepted of course) and turning off the engine at red lights. After all, "Idling is bad." Umkay. So what to make of this unconventional strategy?

We sort of actually admire what Toyota is trying to do here, and we don't disagree with some of their suggestions. But the whole exercise reeks of marketing. The thing is, in this age where "going green" is the flavor of the day, they're marketing better than the competition.

Consider it like this: Toyota is promoting conservation strategies in a direct, forthright manner on its corporate blog at the same time Chrysler is offering to subsidize your conspicuous gasoline consumption. This, despite the fact that equivalently-equipped current Toyota Tundra and Dodge Ram pickups get almost identical mileage (16 MPG combined vs. 15 MPG combined — although we hear the new 2009 Dodge Ram supposedly blows those numbers out of the water). But who's going to win the perception game in the era of $4-and-up gas? After all, perception is everything. [Open Road Blog]

This Is Our Country, This Is Our Truck...And It Will Be For Quite Some Time

Andrew Stoy — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:20:00 EDT

General Motors is planning to extend the current product cycle on its full-size trucks and SUVs, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. New designs had been expected to come in time for the 2012 model year. However GM spokesperson Tom Wilkinson told the Journal that GM was "looking at the whole product portfolio" in an effort to bring more fuel-efficient vehicles to the U.S. market. While the change in product planning should free up much-needed R&D funds, there's little doubt the lukewarm launch of the latest Toyota Tundra and the gas prices-induced slow-motion 2009 Dodge Ram and 2009 Ford F-150 launch train-wrecks influenced top brass at the Ren Cen.

The report also mentioned cancellation of a future Hummer product and the potential shuttering of a brand, though no concrete evidence has emerged to clarify whether the Hummer product cancellation and brand closure were one in the same (Hummer) or whether Hummer might be allowed to die on the vine while another weak brand, such as Buick, was closed outright or moved off-shore. [Automotive News (Sub. Req.)]

Breaking: Truck Rhymes With Fuck, Advertisers Exploit

Travis Hudson — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:15:00 EDT

Hide your children, let your pets outside, the advertisers have finally stumbled upon a new gimmick in advertising. Little did anyone know the word truck rhymes with and sounds like that familiar four-letter f-word. What will happen when your kids start going around spouting off the word truck? Is it time to bring back whoopings? Is Toyota to blame with this Tundra advertisement? More at 11*. (Hat tip to Buckster!) [via Youtube]

* If you come back at 11 there will not be any more information, but feel free to keep watching the commercial.

Cincinnati Reds Toyota Truck Giveaway Is A Bit Of A Sham

Travis Hudson — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 17:30:00 EDT

Taking a cue from a similar Kansas City Royals promotion, Toyota has a giveaway going with the Cincinnati Reds for the upcoming baseball season. The promotion has a Toyota Tundra perched in the outfield. The deal is if a player smacks the Tundra with a home run, it will be given away to a lucky fan. The average baseball fan wouldn't know it, but there's a hell of a catch.

The car is 502 feet away from home plate and 65 feet above the field level. A little math by the folks at Red Reporter determined that on an average calm day the ball would have to be hit at 134.5 mph off the bat, which is damn near physically impossible. Furthermore, the folks did more math and determined that on a balmy 90-degree day, a strong right-handed hitter with a 15 mph tailwind could maybe get it to the truck. Way to go, Toyota. Earn those advertising dollars! [Red Reporter via Deadspin]

Motor Trend Names Toyota Tundra Truck Of The Year, Likes The Alliteration

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:00:00 EST

Motor Trend tapped the bulging Toyota Tundra as the 2008 Truck of the Year, besting GM's HDs and Ford's F-X50 Super Duty pickups. The trucks were pitted against each other at Chrysler's Yucca, Arizona testing facility, where the editors could have fun throwing them through various road conditions. They also hooked the trucks up to 7,500 and 10,000-pound trailers, just for kicks. The vehicles were judged in three categories: Superiority, Significance and Value. The Tundra just ended up being more significant, more valuable and more superior. [Motor Trend via PickUpTruck.com]

SEMA 2007: Toyota Tundra TRD Double Cab Off-Road Concept

Ray Wert — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:30:00 EDT

Looks like we may have gotten Toyota's goat enough with that shot of the Toyota Nastruck trailer getting hauled around by a diesel-powered Chevy Silverado Heavy-Duty that they've responded by building their own Tundra concept to show off here at SEMA. It's the Toyota Racing Development Tundra Double Cab Off-Road Concept truck and it's built with supposedly enough "umph" to carry a large car-hauler trailer. Although a car-hauler trailer's a start — we somehow think even with the supercharged V8 under the hood, they'll probably still need the Silverado HD (or other diesel-powered HD pickup, to carry the Nastruck trailer.

TRD TUNDRA DOUBLE CAB OFF-ROAD CONCEPT AND TRAILER
The TRD Tundra Double Cab 4x4 Off-Road Concept starts with a 6.5-foot bed. It combines an extensive list of custom features designed to showcase new TRD products on a rugged heavy-duty off-road truck that can be used to pull a large car-hauler trailer.

The 5.7-liter V8 engine has been upgraded with the new TRD supercharger system that incorporates an air-to-liquid intercooler that boosts output to approximately 500 horsepower and is 50-state emission legal.

The truck uses TRD 17x8 forged off-road wheels with 37x12.50 R17/D BFG tires on special front and rear wide-track long-travel suspensions. The body has been aggressively restyled with new front and rear fascias and five-inch wider fender sides. A custom trailer hitch has been incorporated into the bed.

The 28-foot custom Featherlite car-hauler trailer was designed and built to resemble a working race car trailer, but is actually a traveling TRD product display featuring many new TRD products.

Inside the trailer, visitors can get a look at the internal workings of the latest TRD superchargers and limited-slip differentials, see the latest wheel offerings or view a video of the actual design and construction of the TRD Off-Road Concept Tundra.

Toyota Drops In Consumer Reports Annual Car Reliability Survey, Ford Improves

Ray Wert — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Apparently, the V6 version of the Toyota Camry, a long-time resident to Consumer Reports' "Annual Car Reliability Survey," is no longer welcome around those parts. And it's not just the Camry, but also the new bigger-than-big four-wheel-drive V8-powered Toyota Tundra and the Lexus Gs. All three of these vehicles "declining reliability" has canceled the "automatic recommended" rating given to the Toyota, Scion and Lexus brands from CR. Hmm, that's no good thing — except it appears to be a boon for Ford, who's showing some serious increases in quality ratings this past year in the Explorer, the F-150 and the Mustang. Full list below the jump.

Models with improved reliability

BMW 7 Series

BMW X3

Cadillac STS (V6)

Chrysler 300 (V8)

Dodge Charger

Ford Explorer (V6)

Ford F-150

Ford Mustang

Jaguar S-Type

Jeep Commander

Kia Sportage

Mazda RX-8

Porsche 911

Saab 9-3

VW Jetta (5-cylinder)

Volvo S40 (non-turbo)

Models with declining reliability

BMW 6 Series

Chevrolet Suburban

Chevrolet Tahoe

Chrysler 300 (V6)

Dodge Ram 1500

GMC Yukon

GMC Yukon XL

Hyundai Entourage

Kia Amanti

Kia Sedona

Lexus GS (V6, AWD)

Pontiac G6

Toyota Camry (V6)

Toyota Tundra (V8, 4WD)

VW Passat (V6)

[via Freep]

2008 Toyota Sequoia, Now With Independent Rear Suspension!

Ray Wert — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 10:15:00 EDT

We're told this black-wrapped test ~~mummy~~ vehicle is the new 2008 Toyota Sequoia. Although it's as heavily wrapped in tape and tarp as the last time, we're still able to glean some information from the latest spy report from Brenda Priddy's ace spy photog Chris Doane. In addition to the expectation it'll be receiving the same 4.7-liter and 5.7-liter V8 engines and five- or six-speed automatic transmissions found in the 2007 Toyota Tundra, the Sequoia is expected to get fancy in the back of the pants. That's because the most important new feature in the new Tundra-derived "balled (and bloated) fist" SUV from ToMoCo will be an independent rear suspension to replace the solid live axle in the current Sequoia. That's right folks, this Toyota beast o' people-moving burden will now have a more advanced rear end than a Ford Mustang. [Edmunds Inside Line]

Ad Watch: Chevrolet Silverado Takes On Toyota Tundra With A "Demonstration" Of Its Own

Ray Wert — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:30:00 EDT

We've already discussed Chevy's recent under-the-table missive to dealers about going after what they perceive to be untruths in ToMoCo's recent series of ads on the all-new Toyota Tundra. Now the General's taken that cannon out from under the table, aimed it, and shot a commercial straight across the bow of the boat-like Tundra truck. The ad's called "Silverado" and it simultaneously shows off the "exclusive automatic rear locker" on the GM truck while tweaking the Tundra commercials showing "demonstrations" of the new super-big pickup's capabilities. We are quite amused. Now we can only hope Toyota responds with a broadside of their own. Perhaps the super-awesome number one best automaker from the land of the rising sun can respond by telling the Silverado's mother she wears a construction helmet. – Ray Wert

Tundra V8 Engines To Be Recalled?

Ray Wert — Thu, 31 May 2007 07:03:34 EDT

Yeah, the Tundra's bigger, longer and uncut, but according to a number of buyers, it's also experiencing some issues on the 5.7-liter V8's. And by "issues" we mean they're massively failing at random times. Just in case you're wondering whether that type of an "issue" is "bad." The Detroit News has helpfully quoted Karl Brauer of Edmunds as saying: "Engine failure kills a car's ability to run and it's not a simple thing to fix." Yeah, we're pretty sure the News needed an outside expert to tell them that. But we digress, back to the "issue" at hand. The engine failure problem is now to the point the automaker's even looking to do a voluntary recall of all of the big gas-sucking V8's in order to protect itself from yet another black eye on the pickup that's bringing back the word "ginormous." – Ray Wert

Toyota Tundra may be recalled [Detroit News]

NHTSA Gives Toyota A Four-Star Black Eye On Tundra Crewmax To Match The First

Ray Wert — Wed, 16 May 2007 11:15:00 EDT

Our boy Mike at PickupTruck has the scoop on what appears to now be two black eyes NHTSA's given the new Tundra truck from ToMoCo. That's right, the folks from the super best number one most awesome automaker from the land of the rising sun have received their second sub-five star frontal crash rating — this time for the new Tundra CrewMax pickup. This comes after the regular cab received similar frontal crash test ratings. Although we still haven't seen the double cab crash ratings, we're assuming the new kids to the medium-size pickup truck game aren't going to be very happy to see these results. All we've got to say is that it's not the size of your truck that matters, it's how well it can take a punch to the face. – Ray Wert

2007 Tundra Falls Short in NHTSA Frontal Crash Test Rating [PickupTruck.com]

New York Times Drives Toyota Tundra, Falls Flat On Face

Ray Wert — Wed, 09 May 2007 15:30:00 EDT

Now don't get us wrong — we love it when we get the opportunity to tweak the Old Grey Lady once in a while, especially when they forget things like checking the weather report (as opposed to the weather forecast) or revamp their efforts in the brave new world that is the blogosphere. But it's hard for us to make fun of Micki Maynard for her attempt at a review of the new Toyota Tundra falling, quite literally, flat. I mean, it's not like the Times has much in the way of experience in heavy (or even light duty) trucks — what with New Yorkers predisposition towards hatred of anything that's meant to carry. Well, maybe not everything — I mean, they do love those little cozy coffee carriers from Starbucks. – Ray Wert

Dancing With The Tundra [NYT Wheels Blog]

It's Easy Not Being Green: Biggest Sales Of New Toyota Tundra Coming From Gas-Guzzling V8

Ray Wert — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 09:22:23 EDT

ToMoCo, the automaker all about selling the image of how it's easy for them to sell green, is seeing some interesting sales numbers in their new Tundra pickup. They're seeing unexpectedly high sales of the least fuel efficient engine in their stable. It appears, according to Automotive News, the company that's all about the hybrid that makes the Hollywood folks cream, is selling much higher numbers of the new CrewMax 5.7-liter V8 engine. That's the same one that's rated at 14 mpg city and 18 mpg highway. Apparently, according to folks at the number one super best automaker from the land of the rising sun

"The 5.7 has been 70 to 80 percent of our mix, and we thought it would be 50 or 60 percent...the 4.7 (V8) and V6 are not as popular."

Welcome to the world of selling full-size pickups gentlemen, please check your "green" image at the door. – Ray Wert

When in Rome: Toyota Adds Incentives on Tundra

Mike Spinelli — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 08:42:33 EDT

Upside-down on your Ford or GM truck loan? Toyota wants you in a new Tundra, and it's offering a very un-Toyotalike benefit: Money. The company's latest incentive deal adds a trade-in allowance of $1000 atop existing incentives totaling $2,000. The deals are causing widespread snickering to break out among US automakers, who couldn't be more relieved to see Toyota altering its business practices to fit in, rather than glibly logging another blowout product. Toyota's defense is that the bulk of the incentives are on the single cab-model, which it says comprises only 10 percent of sales, and no incentives are available on the CrewMax model. Yet. – Mike Spinelli

Toyota Deepens Discounts on Its New Pickup [New York Times (sub req.)]

Related:
San Antonio Stroll: Toyota Tundra Priced [internal]

Rumor Mill: Did GM Call Out Toyota's Stretched Truth in Tundra Ads?

bwojdyla — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 11:00:00 EDT

In an article published in yesterday's New York Times, Nick Bunkley alludes to an anonymous GM higher-up e-mailing a group of dealers to point out, let's just say, massaged truths in recent Tundra ads. This morning we find an anonymous e-mail from our circle of engi-nerd friends that reads like it could have been the message in question. The messenger makes several points that until now had eluded even this tireless sentinel of truthiness in advertising. The folks over at ToMoCo's ad agency must be taking their smart pills cause it's a hard ruse to spot. Indeed, electric trailer brakes and combined vehicle and trailer weights? Why I never!

Check out the full message below the fold.

Thought you might want to know this. Pass it along to your sales staff. It might help them to sell more vehicles. BTW.....attended the Minneapolis Auto Show kick off breakfast on March 8. Two of our Sandy trainers did a nice job explaining the Tundra ads. I would guess all of you have seen the stupid ad where the Tundra pulls a trailer up a steep grade (a 'see-saw'), and then barrels down hill and locks the brakes up just before the end of the ramp. Seen it? Yeah you have.

Couple things to keep in mind. The V.O. at the beginning of the spot says...."It's tough pushing 10,000 lbs up a steep grade". Myth: Toyota would like the audience to believe the trailer is 10,000 lbs. Fact: It's a 5,000 lb truck pulling a 5,000 lb trailer. A little slight of hand? You bet.

Then, on the way down the grade, the camera zooms in on the brakes as the vehicles comes to a screeching halt just prior to the end of ramp. Next time you see the ad....look for the 'mice type'. It indicates the trailer is equipped with electric brakes. Fact....the electric brakes stop the trailer — not the truck. A little slight of hand? You bet.

And why does Toyota have bigger brake pads? They need them....their truck is heavier. Stopping distance between our truck and theirs is virtually identical. And why does Toyota have a 6 speed transmission? To improve their fuel economy....which is still 2 mpg less than ours.

And don't forget....their big V8 has one axle ratio — a 4.3. Suck fuel much? Our trucks offer several axle options to optimize towing and fuel economy. Bottom line: OUR TRUCK IS BETTER! Spread the word.......we can all make a difference. [NAME REDACTED]

Oh man, it is so on!– Ben Wojdyla

Toyota Pickup Scores Below-Perfect on Safety [NY Times]

Toyota Tundra Is The New Buick?

Ray Wert — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 10:30:00 EDT

According to the Detroit News, anyway. Come on guys, isn't this a "Hate-American-Automakers-First" kind of thing to do? I mean, can't you guys mention GM in an article without finding a way to mention Toyota? I'm just sayin'... [Hat tip to Mischa!] – Ray Wert

GM's Buick brand reaches crossroads [Detroit News]

Toyota Continues The Tundra Two-Step On Truck's Four-Star Rating

Ray Wert — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:46:30 EDT

We've got an update on the four-star rating ToMoCo received on the Regular Cab Tundra in NHTSA testing, and it looks like the boys and girls over at PickupTruck.com have the scoop:

"In a phone call this morning with Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong, Kwong tells PickupTruck.com that, 'We're surprised with the results from the NHTSA tests. During our internal testing, which was all done according to NHTSA criteria, we consistently showed (simulated) ratings of five stars from the get go for the Tundra. Right now our engineering team is reviewing the results but it's going to take several weeks to sort out. When we finish (reviewing the data) we'll determine what we might need to fix to make it right.'"

Good to hear ToMoCo wants to make things right to get that five-star rating, but somehow I don't think that's going to stop the General, FoMoCo, the German-American hybrid and Nismo from trying for a bite as they're probably already smelling the blood in the water. – Ray Wert

2007 Tundra Falls Short in NHTSA Frontal Crash Test Rating [PickupTruck.com]

Tundra Breaks Nose, Only Gets Four Stars In Front-End Crash Test

Ray Wert — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:00:00 EDT

The Tundra's just not having a very good day today. First we heard ToMoCo's offering $2000 to dealerships to give up their current parts-haulers, and now this news. According to the folks obsessed with personal mass-market passenger vehicles that haul, carry and tow, NHTSA just awarded ratings for driver and passenger safety to ToMoCo's Tundra. The pickup, the super number one awesome best automaker from the land of the rising sun's first entry into the full-size hauler market, received four stars out of the star-too-far five stars needed for "perfection" — aka, a score matching the 2007 Chevy Silverado, the new Ford F-150 and the Dodge Ram 1500. We'll let the boys at Pickuptruck.com explain why that's important, and provide you with a video of the crash test just below the jump.

Toyota has vociferously stated the new Tundra is ready to go head to head with the half-ton pickups offered by the Detroit Three, including expectations for receiving five star safety ratings (page 4, first paragraph).
The NHTSA crash test results are likely to put Toyota's truck team into a deep defensive posture as the Tundra tries to prove itself an equal to the incumbents, and Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler pounce on any perceived weakness in the new truck's armor.

– Ray Wert

2007 Tundra Falls Short in NHTSA Frontal Crash Test Rating [Pickuptruck.com, Autoblog]

Here's $2000 For A Parts-Runner Tundra, Toyota Tells Dealers

Murilee Martin — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:00:00 EDT

Apparently it's been pissing off the Toyota overlords that some of their dealers have been buying American full-size pickup trucks for use as dealership parts haulers, so now they'll be kicking back $2000 to any Lexus, Scion, or Hino distributor that buys a Tundra for dealership use ($2000 being the approximate price difference between the base Tundra and the base F-150). Another step in the Greater Toyota Co-Prosperity Sphere's plan to chip away at the last remaining stronghold of the once-mighty Detroit Empire. – Murilee Martin

Toyota Offering $2,000 To Dealers [Business Week]

Question Of The Day: Is Toyota Marketing The Tundra To Racers Or Roofers?

Ray Wert — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 11:30:00 EST

We just happened across a three-and-a-half minute video (above), that Toyota's had out there on the interwebs for the past few weeks. Toyota says the video is a re-creation of AMCI-certified testing of the new ToMoCo heavy hauler, the Tundra, versus "comparably equipped 4WD vehicles with optional larger V8s." AMCI's a marketing firm that finds areas where a model excels among competitors and designs scientific tests to promote it. They're the kings of the "superiorities" business, working with 73% of automakers to ensure that "not one claim bearing our name has ever been retracted due to legal challenge." Since Toyota's AMCI-certified tests appear unassailable on "0-60 acceleration" and "accelerating from 20-60," is Toyota marketing this truck with a message that traditional truck buyers are looking for? – Ray Wert

ToMoCo To The General: Get Ready For A "Super, Super" Ass-Kicking!

Jonny Lieberman — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:07:54 EST

Toyota just earned their greedy shareholders 3.6 billon duckets. Not for all of 2006, mind you; just the last three frigging months. Another sales record. And get this. Rather than resting on their cash-fat laurels after finally and officially unseating FoMoCo as the world's second largest automaker, ~~Godzilla Motors~~ Toyota built 9.018 million vehicles last year. General Motors? 9.18 million. That's about 162,000 vehicles less than the world's eight-decade reining champ. And the General is cutting down on rental sales. And that new super-sized Tundra launches any day now. And check out this quote;

"Toyota's numbers are super, super strong," said Koji Endo, auto analyst with Credit Suisse First Boston Securities in Tokyo. "To be honest, it's hard to find anything bad at this point."

The Beast from the Far East is also plotting where it will build its next US factory. Might we suggest the great state of Michigan? – Jonny Lieberman

Toyota reports record quarterly profit, sales [Associated Press]

Related:
San Antonio Stroll: Toyota Tundra Priced [Internal]

San Antonio Stroll: Toyota Tundra Priced

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:47:50 EST

Toyota announced the base price of its new full-size Tundra pickup won't be the cheapest among its domestic competitors, but ~~won't~~ will be the priciest [Sorry for the confusion — ed.]. The company says the 2007 Tundra pickup will sport an MSRP of $22,290, with an additional $645 destination charge. That no-frills Tundra is a rear-drive, regular cab model powered by a 4.0-liter V6, all over a five-speed automatic. Four-wheel-drive models will start at $27,125 for a regular cab with the corporate 4.7-liter V8, on up to $42,495 for the swank LTD CrewMax with 5.7-liter V8 hooked to a six-speed automatic. Click through for base-model competitive MSRPs. – Mike Spinelli

Competitive MSRPs:

· 2007 Toyota Tundra regular cab V6: $22,290 ($645)
· 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Classic 2WD 2-Dr Reg Cab Std V6: ~~$23,350~~ $17,860 ($900)
· 2007 Ford F150 Styleside 2WD 2-Dr Reg Cab Short V6: ~~$22,896.00~~ $18,275 ($925)
· 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 RWD 2-Dr Reg Cab Short V6: $21,270.00 ($900)
· 2007 Truper 10 Cu. Ft. Industrial Wheelbarrow: $124.00 ($0)

Oh What A Bad Feeling: Toyota To Recall 533,000 Sequoias and Tundras

Jonny Lieberman — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 09:35:21 EST

This is without doubt not the news ToMoCo wants to be saddled with as the dawn of their (finally) 'merican sized new Tundra nears. But, what is, is. Seems that the lower ball join on the front suspension has been failing and has caused at least eleven accidents and six injuries. Not good. Some of y'all might remember that Toyota was forced to recall 775,000 trucks and SUVs last May because of similar troubles. Double not good. For Toyota's sake we hope that the ball joints on the new man-size Tundras are as beefy as the commercials they've been runnin' are claimin'. Especially since a fully bedecked CrewMax will tip the scales north of 5,600lbs. Ouch. – Jonny Lieberman

Toyota to recall 533,000 Sequoias, Tundras [msnbc.com]

Related:
Toyota Initiates Massive Recall [Internal]

Detroit Auto Show Memory Card Clean-out: Toyota Tundra Swagasm

bwojdyla — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 14:00:00 EST

For those visiting the Detroit auto show during public days — along with the rest of the unwashed masses — the swag opportunities have diminished significantly since the roaring '90s. Fortunately, press days, like those that passed last week, are rife with worthless trinkets, food, drinks and assorted whatnot. This year, Toyota won my personal swag contest, hands down. Compared to last year's hybrid this and wacky concept that, 2007 was OMG! TUNDRA IS TEH AWESOMENESS!!! Easily 75% or more of the Toyota brand display is devoted to all things Tundra. And the branding, oh my, the branding. If the display isn't made of two by fours or threaded metal pipes, it's probably plywood or some other construction material. They even have a guy dressed up as a construction worker wondering around. And the swag? Effing belt buckles with a stand, man! How much more down home, apple pie, football and cowboys can you get? And where's my PBR!? – Ben Wojdyla

(Jump for a Village People stand in)

"What? This ISN'T the construction site? Crap, not again."

Detroit Auto Show: Japan to America; All Your Big Profits Are Belong to Us; Toyota Tundra is Nigh

Jonny Lieberman — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 12:49:29 EST

This is the moment the Big 2.5 have feared for years. Toyota has taken the gloves off and is giving the US consumer its (potentially perfect) version of "our truck." Unlike Nissan's half-hearted water toeing (Titian), the massive new Tundra will be available with a host of body configurations, engine choices and the ability to tow a small house around behind it. Seriously, the 5.7L gas engine makes over 400lbs. ft. of stump pull. But what we can't stress enough is the size of this beast. We were cracking up when presented with its rising sun massiveness in Los Angeles. In Detroit, it just gets bigger with the debut of the CrewMax four-door. They also showed up with a two-door, short bed Sport model. And judging by the "bigger is bester" commercials running on loop during the playoffs yesterday, Toyota fully understands this most ~~'backy chewin'~~ lucrative of demographics. – Jonny Lieberman

CrewMax:

Sport:

Oh, What Higher Prices! Toyota Edges Stickers Up On Seven Models

Ray Wert — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 13:49:19 EST

The front office in Toyota City appears to have said "Hai!" and green lighted the NorAm branch of the super best number one awesome automaker from Japan to raise prices on seven ToMoCo models. According to the Associated Press,

"The average price increase on the models was $136, or about 0.7%.

Among the changes, the suggested price of the Corolla compact sedan will rise $100, or 0.6%; the FJ Cruiser sport utility vehicle will rise $200, or 0.9%; and gasoline-powered versions of the Camry midsize sedan will rise $200, or 0.9%.

Prices also will rise on the Yaris subcompact sedan and hatchback, Matrix crossover utility vehicle, RAV4 compact SUV and Tacoma pickup truck."

This is a move we can only assume is meant to boost numbers on the automakers already sky-high profit levels. Unless of course it's to help prop up flagging sales at US automakers — which isn't entirely speculative, considering it's CEO said as much a year and a half ago. Either way, Happy Hanukkah from Toyota! – Ray Wert

Prices on 7 Toyota models to edge up [AP via Freep]

Spy Photos: Toyota Tundra Crew Max to Debut in Detroit

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 08:01:42 EST

Toyota says it's planning to unveil the next phase of its domestic pickup dismemberment plan, the 2007 Tundra CrewMax, at the Detroit show. Spies say the largest of ToMoCo's revamped line will get a version of the new corporate 5.7-liter V8 that produces in range of 400 hp, along with a possible 11,000 lb towing capacity and enough room to transport a shift of pipe fitters to the nearest Hooters and back before management knows they haven't finished the R27 assembly. Toyota says its Tundra line for 2007 will include three cab styles, three wheelbases, three bed lengths, three engines, three trim levels, and three nervous competitors. – Mike Spinelli

[via NASIOC and SnoWest]

LA Auto Show Mania: Phallus Comparo, Toyota Vs. Ford

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 09:30:40 EST

It's obvious modern day dirt-haulers are often used for anything but. The real story is who's the biggest? Nothing says non-useful, penis prop quite like pickup beds so tall you can't lift anything over 20 lbs. out of them, so the all-knowing Jalopnik brain decided to virtually drop trou and measure. Make no mistake; ToMoCo's new Tundra is fricking massive. And it's built in a red state by non-union salt-of-the-earth types. But as the photo evidence shows, the Southern-fried Toyota is just not massive enough. So you know; in those boots, I'm 5'11", single and despise long walks on the beach. Hell, the beach in general. View the winners after the jump.

The good old F-150 is still the bigness.

Here's the new Ford Super Duty King Ranch, the most massive vehicle on display at the show, bar none. – Jonny Lieberman

This Is Our Country? Toyota Starts Manufacturing Godzilla-Sized Pickup Truck In Texas

Ray Wert — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 14:04:00 EST

The first unit of the first entry into the full-size pickup truck market by Japan's number one super-best awesome auto manufacturer rolled off the assembly line today at ToMoCo's all-new Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (TMNT, turtle power!) production facility Friday, at a ceremony featuring the Guv of the state known mainly for steers and — well — the now gay-friendly Dallas, Rick Perry and Toyota Prez Katsuaki "Ken" Watanabe. Although we weren't there — we're assuming our invite was just lost in the mail — we did have our very own embedded reporter, code-named "Tokyo Rose," on the ground to provide us some exclusive first-hand pics of the goings-on. Check the camera phone campiness in the gallery below. – Ray Wert

This Is Our Country, Damn It! Chevy Trying To Play Some Oneupmanship On Toyota?

Ray Wert — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 09:16:01 EST

Am I the only one who thinks it may not be just a coincidence Chevrolet moved up the plant celebration of the start of production of the new 2007~~Amerigasm~~ Silverado to coincide with the press events going on down in San Antonio, Texas for the commencement of production of the new Toyota Tundra full-size truck? I'm just saying — if it is a coincidence — it reminds me of the last coincidence Chevy PR man Terry Rhadigan's team had this summer. – Ray Wert

Toyota lifts the hood on new Texas Tundra plant [Detroit News]
GM plant celebrates early rollout of pickups [Freep]

Toyota, Your Sequoia's So Big! ToMoCo Worries 2008 SUV Is Too Large To Be In Charge

Ray Wert — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 09:28:29 EDT

We're beginning to feel like ToMoCo's having a real Goldilocks-like internal management problem. The past few years of the first-gen model of the Sequoia have been criticized by many as having a model smaller than other SUV's in the "large and in charge" segment, but now some execs inside the automaker from the land of the rising sun are afraid that pendulum's eschewed "just right" and swung way too far in the other direction. While normally, we'd expect the execs talking all sorts of trash internally to remain nameless, this time they're going on the record. Automotive News reports Don Esmond, senior veep of automotive ops at Toyota Motor Sales USA as saying:

"I worry about the Sequoia being too big and not having enough fuel economy, more than I do with the (redesigned) Tundra...[A driver of a full-sized pickup]...won't worry about getting two miles per gallon less, if it's the only thing that can haul his work gear. But there are a lot of choices besides an SUV for hauling your kids to soccer practice."

Esmond's of course...

...talking about the Sequoia's platform, the same humongous one used by the new Tundra pickup, a full-size pickup that's so full-size (how full-size is it?), it doesn't even fit in dealership service bays. You'll remember we reported last month that was a major reason for the one year delay between the unveiling of the truck and its actual release...~~this~~ next year.

But, now that Toyota's tasted the higher per vehicle profits of the large- and premium-SUV market — they've been quite unhappy with the drop from a 9.8% share of the market in 2002 to the 6.4% share so far this year. Because no matter how many Prius (Priii?) they sell — the sales of one Sequoia we hear garners more profit. – Ray Wert

Toyota fears bigger Sequoia is, well, too big (sub. req.) [Automotive News]

Toyota And Nissan To Delay Heavy Duty Trucks; GM, Ford And Dodge Can Hardly Contain Selves

Ray Wert — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 15:16:17 EDT

Gee, and we always thought that the "HD" meant "high definition." Man, how wrong were we? It actually stands for "Heavy Duty" or "Professional Grade" or whatever each company calls their big ol' trucks for construction sites and other mud n' dirt needs. Heavy Duty's different than most other pickups offered by automakers, which are more usually called "lame" (or poseurs — we're trying to bone up on our French for obvious reasons). Anyway — Toyota's much long heralded arrival to the HD scene's apparently gonna take a little bit longer than originally thought — as Automotive News is reporting they'll be delayed, and won't see an official release until...well...it's been indefinitely halted. Nissan on the other hand is planning a heavy-duty pickup, but they won't make it until 2009 at the earliest. That's good news for Chevy, Ford, Dodge, GMC and any other American brand we may have missed who've seen profits from a segment growing 12% last year — despite softening sales in the lighter end of their pickup lineups.

Toyota, Nissan delay plans to launch heavy-duty pickups (sub. req.) [Automotive News]

Spy Photos: 2007 Toyota Tundra

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 09:22:03 EDT

AutoWeek posted spy shots of the 2007 Toyota Tundra — caught by an AW reader during test runs in California — ahead of its launch in January. In essence, it's the same, double-cab model we've already seen at the Chicago show, which was powered by Toyota's new 5.7-liter V8 and six-speed automatic — though whether this tester has the smaller 4.7-liter V8 or the 4.0-liter V6 Toyota's expected to offer is obviously unclear. But it does give a good indication of what the unadorned base model will look like in action — minus the stainless-steel toolbox, of course.

Pounding the Pavement [AutoWeek]

Over the Back Fence: Tundra Double Cab to Be Freaking Huge

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 17:34:46 EDT

Edmunds Straightline Blog is doin' some rumor mongerin' with regard to Toyota's 2007 Tundra pickup. According to someone who's gotten a look at the Tundra double cab (as opposed to the crew cab Toyota unveiled at the Chicago show earlier this year) the largest of Tundras will have 410 hp, 11,000-lb. towing capacity and will be larger than the Dodge Mega Cab. That's led the Edmundos to conclude, likely so, that the top Tundra will be in the 8,000+ gross weight range (the Mega Cab's is 10,500 lb.) No word on payload capacity, gross axle weight rating (GAWR), gross axle widget diameter (GAWD) or gag weaponry assessment rating (GWAR).

New 2007 Toyota Tundra rumors [Edmunds Straightline Blog]

Related:
Yeeeeeeha!: Toyota Unveils Texas Tundra [internal]

Breaking! Tundra Recall: Toyota To Recall 160,000 Pickups

Ray Wert — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 15:15:00 EDT

Some people believe children are our future. Toyota initially didn't, but luckily, they've now decided to drop a few million ducats to deactivate front-passenger air bag cut-off switches in 160,000 Tundra pickups. This was after NHTSA rejected Toyota's petition to waive federal safety regulations requiring most vehicles built after September 2002 and equipped with air bag cut-offs to also include a child seat anchor system called Lower Anchorages and Tethers for CHildren (LATCH). Henry Jasny, the general councel for a Washington watch group had the following comment about the need for Toyota to do something — anything — to fix the problem:

"[Toyota not providing latches] is not merely an incidental statistical artifact but a clear and present danger to the children who ride in child restraints in the front passenger seats of those vehicles."

Maybe Toyota should change their advertising campaign:

"Toyota: Moving Children Forward Through The Windshield"

Toyota to recall Tundra air bags [Freep]