(By Tom Lohnes) – The Toyota Tundra has been a truck known for its long-lasting engine, brawny styling, and sometimes off-road capability. But after 12 years of production, the Tundra often finds itself at the bottom of the full-sized truck sales list. With only 109,000 sold last year, the only truck the Toyota beats is the slow-selling Nissan Titan XD. Well according to dealers, this third-generation rig is going to be a “world-beater”.
That is quite a big claim, considering the new Tundra is only ¾ way through development right now. Styling will take after the newer-looking Tacoma, with squared-off headlights and a trapezoidal grille. Inside we hope the Tundra will be roomier than the cramped Tacoma, with the high-quality materials and solid build quality Toyota is known for. Under the hood will lie a new Twin-Turbo V6, a first for Toyota. Power numbers will supposedly be between 375 and 500 depending on the model, and torque will be far more than the power stat. Transmission will likely be a 10-speed automatic, pulled directly out of the Lexus LS 500, which has a twin-turbo V6. Suspension will supposedly move away from leaf-springs, with independent conventional suspension or maybe an optional air-ride system.
The Tundra has always been a value player in the segment, so expect a loaded-up Tundra to be far cheaper than an equivalent Ford F-150.
