Toyota sure has a funky way of celebrating the unveiling of the architectural renderings of their new North American headquarters. Most manufacturers would hold a small party for the executives. There might be cake. There would certainly be a press release, and that would be that. And don’t get us wrong, that is big news for the company. But in celebration of getting the renderings…the computer renderings, not the actual building, mind you…Toyota threw together one of the most curious concept vehicles we’ve seen in quite some time. Dubbed the Ultimate Utility Vehicle, what you’re seeing is the body of a Toyota Sienna minivan dumped onto the chassis of a Tacoma, which was then treated to a suspension lift, heavy-duty bumpers, the latest and “greatest” round of off-road modifications, and a matte black paint job.
Personally, the brodozer wheels, LED light bar, and the matte paint could have been trashed. Imagine this thing with some better suited wheels in a factory Sienna paint scheme trail-crawling. That is the UUV’s one redeeming factor: it’s being used in a transcontinental journey that allows Toyota employees the opportunity to get behind the wheel and drive it. We don’t know if any off-roading is in the works, but at least it isn’t just sitting and looking pretty. It’ll do plenty of that at SEMA later this year, where we hope we can convince a Toyota executive to run it in the desert for some photos.
What say you: “Awesome!” or “Aw, man…my lunch…”?
“Alright, kids, load up!”
Does the word “Aztek” ring a bell?