This is from the current edition of MotorTrend, I know some of you don't like trucks but I still think you'd like to know what's going on.
"Undaunted by the fact that it sold just 108,863 Tundras in the U.S. last year (versus 911,597 Ford F-Series), Toyota has major plans to expand its lineup of full-size trucks. First is the upcoming Lexus GX 470 sport/utility vehicle that debuted at Detroit. The GX 470 is not, as earleir believed, based on the Toyota Sequoia(which , in turns, is based on the Tundra pickup). Rather, it's based on the Japanese-market Prado SUV, which is smaller than a Sequoia. The Prado is larger than the current 4Runner and will serve also as the platform for that vernerable sport/utility's replacement due in the '03 model year. The new 4 Runner will be available with an optional V-8, probaly based on the same 4.7l engine used in the Tundra, Sequoia, and GX 470. A Lexus based on the Sequoia may not appear before the Sequoia comes in for a major redsign several years down the road. The Lexus version will be called the VX 540, which means it'll be powered by a new 5.4L V-8 from the Toyota.
At Chicago, Toyota introduced the Tundra Sort Truck concept, which is an '03 Tundra Stepside lightly dsguised with TRD perfromance parts. Thoses parts inclde three-piece chrome ally 20-in. HRE Perfromance wheels, a sport suspension package, and a TRD dual cat-back exhaust.
More important, the Sport Truck has the new production Stepside's rather bulbous bed that's 1.8in. taller, at 19 in., than the standard bed. The Stepside goes on sale this fall.
Toyota has even bigger plans for the '04 Tundra, that's when it adds a one-ton pickup to the line-up, a source says. The truck may have distinctive, beefier sheetmetal to take advantage of the heavy-duty image and will be offered with the same 5.4L V-8 engine slated for the next-generation Sequoia.
On the other hand, perhaps Toyota just needs a better marketing plan to sell more Tundras. The press kit for the Stepside referenced an otherwise over looked Tundra trim package with this unfortunate name: Limited Access Cab." --MT
Also Toyota is suppose to bring out a crewcab Tundra to compete with Ford's SuperCab.
"Undaunted by the fact that it sold just 108,863 Tundras in the U.S. last year (versus 911,597 Ford F-Series), Toyota has major plans to expand its lineup of full-size trucks. First is the upcoming Lexus GX 470 sport/utility vehicle that debuted at Detroit. The GX 470 is not, as earleir believed, based on the Toyota Sequoia(which , in turns, is based on the Tundra pickup). Rather, it's based on the Japanese-market Prado SUV, which is smaller than a Sequoia. The Prado is larger than the current 4Runner and will serve also as the platform for that vernerable sport/utility's replacement due in the '03 model year. The new 4 Runner will be available with an optional V-8, probaly based on the same 4.7l engine used in the Tundra, Sequoia, and GX 470. A Lexus based on the Sequoia may not appear before the Sequoia comes in for a major redsign several years down the road. The Lexus version will be called the VX 540, which means it'll be powered by a new 5.4L V-8 from the Toyota.
At Chicago, Toyota introduced the Tundra Sort Truck concept, which is an '03 Tundra Stepside lightly dsguised with TRD perfromance parts. Thoses parts inclde three-piece chrome ally 20-in. HRE Perfromance wheels, a sport suspension package, and a TRD dual cat-back exhaust.
More important, the Sport Truck has the new production Stepside's rather bulbous bed that's 1.8in. taller, at 19 in., than the standard bed. The Stepside goes on sale this fall.
Toyota has even bigger plans for the '04 Tundra, that's when it adds a one-ton pickup to the line-up, a source says. The truck may have distinctive, beefier sheetmetal to take advantage of the heavy-duty image and will be offered with the same 5.4L V-8 engine slated for the next-generation Sequoia.
On the other hand, perhaps Toyota just needs a better marketing plan to sell more Tundras. The press kit for the Stepside referenced an otherwise over looked Tundra trim package with this unfortunate name: Limited Access Cab." --MT
Also Toyota is suppose to bring out a crewcab Tundra to compete with Ford's SuperCab.
