Toyota will be joining the ‘big boys club’ in Australia later this year when its full-size Tundra pick-up truck goes on sale in the local market. This follows final approval of the local re-engineering project by Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan.
Toyota Australia partnered with Walkinshaw Automotive Group to re-engineer the US-built Tundra from left-hand drive (LHD) to right-hand drive (RHD), with the vehicle to be produced at Walkinshaw’s facility in Melbourne.
The new Tundra will initially be launched in Limited grade with a new Australian top-of-the-range premium version to join it in the second quarter of 2025.
Both versions sit on the TNGA-F platform that underpins the LandCruiser 300 Series and are powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 i-FORCE MAX powertrain that generates 326kW of power and 790Nm of torque. Power is driven through a 10-speed automatic transmission.
There’s a part-time 4WD system with a dual-range transfer case, and the Tundra offers a 4.5-tonne braked towing capacity.
In the Limited variant guise, the Tundra will be equipped with 20-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, leather-accented seats with power adjustment, heating and ventilation for the driver and front passenger, 14-inch multimedia touchscreen with a 12-speaker JBL audio system and wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto compatibility, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, and trailer brake controller.
The premium grade will sport a unique grille, black painted alloy wheels, black-accented tailgate, a panoramic moonroof and other cosmetic changes.
Inside, it will include leather-accented seats that offer a massage function for the front and heating and ventilation for the rear outboard positions, power adjustable steering column and heated steering wheel, and 10.9-inch head up display.
Toyota revealed back in 2022 that it had begun a development program in Australia for the Tundra and had partnered with Walkinshaw Automotive Group to develop and build RHD variants. In the years since then, the market for large, powerful pick-ups has grown considerably, with RHD versions of vehicles from RAM Trucks Australia proving to be particularly popular. Toyota may well be entering the market with the Tundra at the right time.
Further information on the new Tundra will be released closer to the launch.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (October 2024)
30 October 2024