Huh, I completely overlooked nees1212's last sentence that I quoted. Yeah, I have to agree that Taco will always have a 4-banger in the lineup. It might be for the fleet/entry level regular cab short box only, and the 2.7 w/balance shafts is the likely choice, but it will be there.

Good point about the weight. I can't find it anymore, but somewhere in all the press releases I recall seeing ~3,400lbs. for X-Runner, so a regular cab short box would be much less. With short gears, the 2.7 should be able to pull it around...empty, anyway.

 

Wouldn't it bother you more if it was made in Mexico?

 

Nah, it already is...Mexifornia! (Apologies to the CA members here, lame humor attempt). Plus the Baja plant won't be producing cab/chassis until year end, so the early production trucks like X-Runner will still be out of NUMMI.

I'm hard pressed to think of good Mexican products besides tequila, silver, and "Girls Gone Wild-Cancun", but hopefully Toyota quality standards will be successfully implemented there. It may be the first plant with siesta, though.

I guess some GM trucks like Suburban and Tahoe are produced in Mexico, but I don't know if they're any worse than their domestically produced iron.

A lot of people had similar worries about Toyota U.S. and especially Canada, but look what happened: Lexus is being produced at the Cambridge plant and meets the same standards as JDM vehicles, they claim.

I have to admit, if you look closely at fit, finish and paint, I still give the nod to JDM production. Entirely subjective, IMHO, etc.

 

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that bling....
oh yeah. This sport edition is totally for the younger crowd who want to dress up their vehicles as well as race them. 240 HP is a lot...

 

I think Jettas, Bugs and other German brands are assembled in Mexico...
Aren't the Ford Focus, Mercury Maurader and others assembled there as well?
There are alot of cars assembled in Mexico.

BT17R,
Cambridge Plant as in Cambridge, Mass. or somewhere in Canada?

Canadian assembly plants actually won some awards for excellence- I can't remember the article but I read it while in Vancouver. They are very proud of the work they do up there. Knowing the people a bit, I would say they really take pride in what they do.
I would not hesitate to buy a car assembled there.

I won't put any assembly plants down, but I think if they met JDM standards- the original JDM tolerances were "widened" to begin with. For example, while an excellent vehicle, the RX300 was not in the same quality leauge of the GS or even the 4th gen Limited. Haven't been in a RX330 yet.

I don't know, Tacos were made here and the quality seems rock solid to me. I think the 05 Taco will be great. It's on the proven 4th gen 4R chassis/mechanicals and it's pretty tough to mess up a giant metal bed.

You can see the tolerances are excellent for a PU. Good cost-cutting/styling like the one-piece stamped doors (in lieu of the framed door look of the 4R)

I look forward to seeing it on the road!

 

That would be Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.

Well, Jetta, Bug, Focus and Marauder don't change my mind about anything good coming out of Mexico.

I don't think the '05 Taco will be sharing it's frame with 4Runner. Dimensions are significantly different, especially wheelbase, and Taco is configured for rear leaf springs vs. 'Runner coils. Also, the 'Runner frame cross members and engine/tranny mounts accept V-8's, V-6's and A/T's, while Taco will accept I-4's, V-6's and either M/T's or A/T's. Toyota does share the 'Runner frame, but with Prado, Land Cruiser (FJ-90 flavor), and Lexus GX series.

 

Well I don't know the specs. It's an educated guess based on the cost effective nature of the frame rails. The 4R frame could be the shortbed, they can easily extend the rails for the king cab/double cab.
Leaf springs are an economic choice-cheaper than the coil setup on the 4R.
They share the V6 so engine mounts are same...tranny mounts aren't exactly expensive or rocket science so I think it might be interrelated to the 4R more than you think.
Kind of like how the Xterra and Frontier are identical mechanically.

The front body panels seem to line up and match the 4R identically

Are the 3rd gen 4R and Taco mechanical twins? That would be a good insight into how Toyota will approach this. The interior of the 05 Taco suggests it shares more than a passing commonality with the 4R

 

No, except for the driveline similarities. I could be wrong and am applying similar reasoning to yours, but we're coming up with different conclusions! I think Taco will have the separate, narrower leaf sprung frame for load carrying capacity considerations vs. 'Runners coils for creature comfort.

Also, Runner is JDM built for worldwide consumption and classified as a car (because of the rear seats) and exempt from truck tariffs. Taco, classified as a truck, isn't exempt from truck tariffs so a separate plant located within the free trade zone (NAFTA here) makes better sales and marketing sense. If you're going to build a truck specific plant, it's best to manufacture a truck specific cab and chassis design from the outset and not have to cobble up a modified car chassis. Plus, I'm guessing that the 'Runner frame is an expensive assembly with it's nine cross members, some through frame, coil setup, and X-REAS/Air Suspension option. I'm not considering the body on frame cute 'utes here, only the real deal body on frame designs.

 

I thought this spy shot would help calm a few nerves until the official shots come out in the next few months. I think it looks damn spanky! Make mine a six speed.

 

DasBoot is that your cruiser in the avatar? i love it!

 

Thanks outdoorfever, and yeah, it's a pic of my Cruiser. Although it probably belongs in the Cruiser section, I'll post this bigger pic here so you can get a better look.

 

yeah, bringing this back because this thread came up with the keywords i searched with.

anyone happen to have any hi-res images of a tacoma x-runner?

 

a buddy of mine drives a black one...its prety sick, but just needs some bigger factory rims

 

Here you go.http://autos.yahoo.com/newcars/toyot..._overview.html

 

i said hi-res images of the x-runner.

nevermind tho, i found what i need.