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Toyota Tundra: Australian launch plans underway, more details emerge


Toyota Australia said it received an “overwhelming” response to confirmation of last week that it’s working on a right-hand drive redesign program for North America Tundra large pickup.

Local redesign project Tundras right-hand drive switches (they are only made in the US factory in left-hand drive mode) are a world first for Toyota, and if all goes to plan will bring the local division company side something to sit on HiLux and LandCruiser 300 Series.

“This was the first agent meeting that I can recall in decades, where I heard whistles, cheers and 400 people and something that everyone in the room was really excited about, like, like us,” said Toyota Australia Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Franchise, Sean Hanley CarExpert.

“…We’re really excited about the fact that we can talk to you about Tundra right now,” he added, alluding to the fact that the show has long been one of the ‘secrets’ ‘ is the industry’s worst kept secret.

As announced last week, Toyota Australia is now starting its first public road test with product planners and has been working for some time with The Walkinshaw Group is headquartered in Melbourne to develop and implement large-scale RHD conversions here.

In Toyota’s style, it’s a slow, steady, and cautious approach – the company hasn’t really officially confirmed the project will come to fruition, although it’s spending a lot of money if all Just a road…

The final phase of the pre-launch redesign program will also see 300 road-ready converted Tundras sent across Australia from the end of 2023 to potential customers, who must agree Please provide detailed feedback in return.

That leads to a market launch in 2024, at which point the Tundra will have three major competitors: Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado (both converted to RHD by Walkinshaw at its ever-growing Clayton plant), and Ford F-150will be converted by RMA Automotive at a facility in Melbourne from 2023.

All of these vehicles will or are scheduled to be sold at dealers supported by the brands, rather than third-party converters selling in appropriate quantities.

No OEM has yet decided to build a modern full-size American pickup in RHD at their actual factory, because the sales potential in Australia is too low to justify a factory upgrade – although the Ram 1500 and Chevy Silverado combined Walkinshaw models have been reworked. 6000 odd sales are definitely compounded here in 2021.

Despite that, it is understood that Tundra’s chief engineer, Mike Sweers, a resident of the United States, is a staunch supporter of the plan, and the one with the last registration.

“This is a very different way for us to develop the car. We’ve never quite done this before. And this is the first time outside of Japan that a car has been extensively converted to right-hand drive [for Toyota]Mr. Hanley added.

“… So when we put it – when and if, obviously we want to bring it to market – but when and if, this will be close to the OE quality conversion you can get. “

Mr. Hanley wants to make it clear that the 300 promised late-stage RHD developments that Tundras mentioned in last week’s press release will not be just mules for crushers, but ready-to-go vehicles. Roads can be sold as used cars.

“Next year, we will bring the 300 to our customers to let us know how they are doing. You know what we need to look at,” Hanley added, adding that Toyota will own those cars during this test.

It is not entirely clear how Toyota will select said customers.

What we already know:

RHD Tundras, if green-lit for full production, will run a hybrid powertrain that makes them a bit less noisy than their competitors.

The hybrid version combines a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 petrol engine (specifically the LandCruiser 300 abroad) and a 10-speed automatic with an engine alternator, a new Power Controller and a metal hydride battery. sealed nickel is charged by braking energy recovery.

Its output is 326kW and 790Nm of torque, it’s rated to be able to pull northward at 5.0 tonnes in weight and use 10.7 liters of petrol/100km on the EPA cycle – not exactly is green, but better on juice than its rivals.

Unlike the Tundra hybrid, the Silverado and Ram 1500 are both available only in Australia with V8 petrol engines, while the F-150 will only offer the V6 turbocharged petrol engine when it hits showrooms in 2023.

Toyota says it intends to use “critical components” from its global parts portfolio in the redesign, including the steering column and brackets, pedals and gearshift levers from the side-drive LandCruiser 300. Right that Tundra shares a version of its platform.

“This project shows how serious we are at Toyota about quality and that an RHD Tundra will not be sold in Australia until we are completely satisfied,” added Mr Hanley.

“We are really excited to have achieved such an important project for this stage and look forward to seeing the prototypes develop on our roads and test tracks in the coming weeks and months. .”





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