New Toyota Tundra takes shape
Next-gen full-size pick-up still under study by Toyota Australia as fresh renders emergeImages of the next-generation Toyota Tundra have surfaced online, showing how the full-size American pick-up truck could evolve.
These unofficial renders come from Russia via auto website Kolesa.ru, showing artist Nikita Chuyko’s impression of how the American-built truck might take shape.
Big brother to Australia’s top-selling vehicle, the Toyota HiLux ute, the all-new Tundra is due to break cover next year and will be able tow at least 4.5 tonnes.
It’s expected to arrive in US showrooms from around December next year, according to leaked information from a top-level Toyota dealer conference, and is under consideration for Australia.
Hoping to land an uppercut on the chiselled jaw of the top-selling Ford F-150, this particular design features a similar headlight arrangement to the facelifted HiLux and also copies the grille – only in this case it is much bigger and bolder.
There’s also eye-catching creases above the front and rear wheel-arches, adding a modern touch.
While the Tundra is currently only sold in the Americas, Toyota Australia is actively working on a business case for the new-generation model to be built in right-hand drive and sold here.
Executives at the Australian company have repeatedly told carsales there is strong demand for the Tundra here.
In August, Toyota Australia’s sales and marketing boss, Sean Hanley, refused to rule out the next-gen Tundra for sale in this country, which is world’s largest market for RHD utes.
However, it’s understood Toyota Australia would need to sell around 10,000 vehicles per year and convince other right-hook markets such as the UK to import the big truck.
This is possible given the Australian appetite for full-size US pick-up trucks. But unlike the Chevrolet Silverado and RAM 1500 utes that are converted here under officially sanctioned programs by Walkinshaw Automotive Group, Toyota is on record as saying it would prefer RHD Tundra production direct from the factory.
The current Toyota Tundra can be purchased in Australia via independent conversion companies and is powered exclusively by a powerful 5.7-litre petrol V8 (284kW/583Nm), which provides a towing capacity of 4580kg – considerably more than the 3500kg limit of the Toyota HiLux and LandCruiser 200 Series.
Rod Ferguson, Toyota Australia’s product planning and development chief, previously said: “We recognise that even our customers are often requesting something above LandCruiser 200 Series, particularly around heavy towing, heavy van usage, horse floats, that sort of thing.”
The new Toyota Tundra will be based on the Japanese auto giant’s new TNGA-F platform, a rugged ladder-frame chassis set-up that will also underpin the upcoming Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series due in 2021 and the next-generation Toyota HiLux coming in 2024.
Toyota is expected to ditch the current V8 for a circa-300kW twin-turbo V6 in regular models and could even drop its new 450kW twin-turbo V8 developed for Lexus into a GR Tundra model to take on the Ford F-150 Raptor and RAM 1500 TRX.
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