THE axe has fallen on Toyota’s V8-powered Tundra because the Japanese marque unveils full particulars of its newest full-size pick-up truck for the North American market, offering clues to what the brand new LandCruiser 300’s future hybrid driveline may appear to be.
Rising reputation of outsized utes in Australia and under-the-skin similarities to the brand new LandCruiser may additionally make the 2022 Tundra the almost certainly but to get the inexperienced gentle for official imports – particularly given the precedent set by factory-backed right-hand drive conversions of Ram and Chevrolet fashions.
“Toyota Australia has seen the recognition of the full-size pick-up section in Australia develop up to now few years and it’s a section that has been of curiosity to us and to our clients,” a Toyota Australia spokesperson advised GoAuto.
“There are at the moment no plans for the brand new mannequin Tundra to be produced in right-hand drive from the manufacturing facility. Nevertheless, that is one thing that we’ll proceed to review.”
Toyota’s first all-new full-size pick-up in 15 years marks an finish to the long-serving 5.7-litre UR collection V8, as an alternative powered by a brand new iForce 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, as discovered within the 300 Sequence LandCruiser.
The 24-valve engine develops 290kW/649Nm within the Tundra, or 352kW/790Nm in hybridised iForce Max fashions.
Each engines are paired to a 10-speed computerized transmission with Tow/Haul mode however efficiency figures, vary particulars, gas financial system numbers and pricing are but to be introduced.
The place non-hybrid fashions profit from a big storage space beneath the rear seats, hybrid variations of the Tundra use the house to accommodate a confirmed 288-volt nickel steel hydride (NiMH) battery pack, moderately than newer lithium-ion expertise.
This ties in with feedback made by LandCruiser chief engineer Sadayoshi Koyari in an interview with GoAuto on the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Present, the place he stated for the legendary off-roader to achieve hybrid drive it might “want a expertise which is de facto dependable even within the hardest environmental circumstances”.
“If we may have sooner or later a expertise – hybrid expertise or no matter – which is dependable sufficient that we will say, ‘OK we’ll implement that right into a LandCruiser,’ I might not say no.”
The brand new Tundra shares a lot of its new GA-F platform with the not too long ago launched 300 Sequence LandCruiser, which relies on a body-on-frame model of Toyota’s TNGA (Toyota New Technology Structure) and can be offered in Australia with a 230kW/687Nm 3.3-litre V6 turbo-diesel.
Though the Tundra is just not at the moment supplied with a diesel possibility, the shared petrol engines and architectural similarities imply the LandCruiser might be made out there with model of the Tundra’s new petrol-electric hybrid driveline.
The GA-F platform can also be understood to underpin the next-generation Toyota Sequoia full-size SUV, due in the US by 2023 and tipped to reach in each rear and four-wheel drive configurations.
Provided in three physique kinds and with a alternative of three tray lengths, the brand new Tundra vary gives as much as 2470mm of mattress size.
Payload is listed at simply 879kg – lower than the HiLux dual-cab offered domestically – or 11 per cent greater than the earlier Tundra. The tray mattress is fashioned of a light-weight sheet compound materials supported by aluminium bracing as premiered on the smaller Toyota Tacoma.
Most braked towing capability is listed at 5443kg or 17.6 per cent greater than the outgoing mannequin.
The brand new Tundra is suspended by all-coil suspension with twin-tube dampers commonplace throughout the vary. TRD Professional variants use Fox model dampers like these discovered beneath the Aussie Ranger Raptor and have a physique raise of 28mm.
Know-how upgrades embrace a large 14-inch infotainment display screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as commonplace, together with “Hey Toyota” voice prompts for navigation, audio and chosen different options.
Street signal recognition, a 360-degree digital camera and computerized tailgate that may be opened and closed from the important thing fob or a swap on the taillight are additionally new.
Excessive-end variants additionally obtain a 12.3-inch TFT digital instrument cluster and built-in frontal gentle bar. Alloy bash plates, air suspension, a panoramic roof, and Wi-Fi connectivity are additionally out there throughout the vary.
