Toyota Previews Builds for SEMA 2023

by Matthew Guy

Published: October 30th, 2023

The announcements from auto manufacturers about what they’ve in the pipeline for this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas continue apace, with Toyota promising a quartet of builds – plus a few packages that consumers will be able to actually buy.

Shown above is a rendering of the Tacoma X-Runner Concept. Those of you with decent memories will recall the brand had a variant of this sort for a few years in the past, one which featured a lowered suspension, manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, and a limited-slip diff. This time around, reports tell us there will be a 3.4-liter twin-turbo under the hood, taken from a Tundra and making the better part of 400 horses, along with what certainly looks like a reprise of the low-n-wide theme but applied to a next-gen Tacoma. The concept is a collab between Toyota’s Calty Design Center and its Tech Center in Michigan, suggesting this won’t be a half-baked concept with engine parts made out of cardboard.

Also on tap are an FJ Bruiser, a ‘Blue Beetle’ Tacoma, and a Retro Cruiser. We’ll have to wait until the press conference on October 31 to learn about the appearance of those machines, though we have a good image in our mind’s eye about that FJ. Whether any portion of these concepts reaches even a sniff of actual production is up for some debate.

What will make it into catalogs, however, is a TRD Performance package for the Tundra, bringing a measure of that arm’s design to a truck that already has a choice of faces depending on trim. The roster currently includes a TRD Sport option which adds styling addenda inside and out; scuttlebutt on the sewers that are fan forums are suggesting this package will include a remap of the ECU for more power, requiring the use of premium fuel.

Look for the Toyota showcase inside the Las Vegas Convention Center to also include displays of a GR Cup Series GR86 racer, 45th-anniversary GR Supra, Trueno Special Edition GR86, plus various and sundry show builds laden with official Associated Accessory Products (AAP) in an effort to showcase offerings at that part of the company.

[Image: Toyota]

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#Toyota #Aftermarket #SEMA #LasVegas

Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

More by Matthew Guy

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7 of 10 comments

Lou_BC on Oct 30, 2023

Toyota doesn't make a regular cab truck anymore.

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- Kwik_Shift_Pro4X on Oct 31, 2023
  
  I believe only Ford does for the F150, at an inflated price for a base truck
  
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- Lou_BC on Oct 31, 2023
  
  Chevy still has a regular cab 1500. I don't think Ram does. Maybe in the Heritage model.
  
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JMII on Oct 30, 2023

I wish the sport truck scene would come back. I'm sick of all these lifted bro-dozers, off roader editions and overlanders. And yes back in the day I owned a Ranger Splash stepside complete with yellow and orange graphics 😎

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- Analoggrotto on Oct 30, 2023
  
  Gotta have something for all of these financially stable wife neutered dadbods.
  
  1
- Lou_BC on Oct 30, 2023
  
  @JMII - I don't like seeing factory off-roaders that are obviously never used off-road. In my mind, it is a waste of money. With that being said, it is the buyers money to spend as they see fit.
  I've only gone wheeling once with another ZR2. I think the experience traumatized the guy. He's not asked to go wheeling with anyone in my group again.
  
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- Kwik_Shift_Pro4X on Oct 31, 2023
  
  Image sells. Like Land Rover with alleged reliability issues, but still see them around.
  
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