Tundra concept sends loud message at SEMA
Richard Truett Automotive News October 31, 2007 - 2:23 pm ET
LAS VEGAS - Toyota's heavy duty diesel truck rumblings are getting louder.
At the Specialty Equipment Market Association show here, Toyota Motor Corp. quietly parked in its display of wild tuner cars the Tundra Diesel Dually, a concept truck that could be the company's template for its expected entry into the heavy-duty pickup market.
The Tundra Diesel Dually shows how quickly Toyota can field an entry to challenge the top-selling Ford Super Duty pickups, GM's Heavy Duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra and the heavy-duty Dodge Ram.
The Tundra Diesel Dually uses off-the-shelf parts from Toyota, its affiliate companies and suppliers. It has: - An 8.0-liter inline six-turbocharged diesel engine from Hino, Toyota's large truckmaking affiliate. - Hino medium-duty axles. - The body from a regular Tunda CrewMax. - A lengthened Tundra frame. - An Eaton five-speed manual transmission.
A sign near the truck read: "The Tundra Diesel Dually is a study in contrasts that demonstrates Toyota's commitment to exploring new ideas."
Toyota has long been expected to build a big diesel powered version of the Tundra, but the company had said only that it was studying the idea. The Diesel Dually, which features four rear wheels with 22.5-inch tires, shows Toyota could jump into the market quickly.
A spokesman for Hino said the engine is too big for the Tundra, but could be scaled down to around 6.0 liters. He said Toyota has not decided whether its wants an inline six-cylinder engine - a layout used by the Dodge Ram diesel - or a V-8, which is used by Ford and GM diesel trucks. Toyota, he said, has not chosen an engine supplier for the truck.
The Diesel Dually featured a tan leather interior, huge, stubby shifter, a sunroof, and a navigation system. Its huge flared rear wheel wells and beefy looks gave the truck a mean look. It was about the size of a Ford F-350 diesel.