The San Antonio plant is on schedule. Staff are being hired and trained at the Indiana plant that produces both current Tundra and Sequoia. Initial Tundra build will be from Indiana, then San Antonio will ramp up to full capacity of 150,000 in '06. Indiana will supply another 50,000 Tundra and forecast (in Toyota talk forecast = actual) is for 200,000 Tundra in '06, double current sales levels.

Drivetrains are running the gamut from V-8 to V-10 to Diesels, different running gear for each, and a Super Heavy Duty model will be part of the mix.

Dealers are upgrading service departments with higher capacity lifts, larger stalls, and increased display and storage area in preparation. Sales are forecast to be 50% GM and Ford conquest, and about half of all sales are projected to be in Texas and bordering states.

This is going to be one amazing truck to sway Bubba and Bubbette out of their domestic iron. The only consolation to GM and Ford is that initial Tundra production will be artificially constrained to 200,000 for the first couple of years because, as always, Toyota is sensitive to industry politics.

 

that is definitely some welcoming news

 

Anybody got any idea about specs on the new ones, I assume a 5.4+ V8 will be in the cookbook?

 

So it seems that you have some good info. Do you know anything about a HD Tundra with a diesel? My T100 is getting tired, but I will wait another year for a Tundra diesel. The T100 is my 4th Toyota and I want to keep going, but I need a diesel 3/4 or 1 ton truck. Please tell me its on its way! Post up any info!

 

Finally, Toyota is going to play rough with the big boys. However, I'd say this is more of under-promise/over-deliver. They probably learned a good lesson with Nissan and the Titan.

A possible cool consequence of the bigger engines might be that the Tacoma finally gets the 4.7l V8.

 

i just read in a magazine while getting my haircut the other night that they are shooting for a class leading 700 ft/lbs of torque for the diesel but it is more likely that they will go with low 600's to slightly outclass the duramax's 605. Horsepower for the diesel will be around 400 and it will most likely be backed up by an Aisin transmission. i read this in i think car and driver, whichever magazine has the new m5/e55 comparison on the cover (1000 horsepower of luxury).

 

i cant wait!! should be in need of a company vehicle by the time it gets produced

 

solid axle in the near future for the heavy duty models? if so, saweeet

 

While 700ft-lbs will be nice, none of the domestics will allow Toyota to have the most powerful Diesel, it would be way to damaging to them. Both the ISB and Duramax are a computer tweak away from 1000 ft-lbs as they sit right now, so if Toyota puts out 700, you can bet GM or Dodge will have 705, if GM gets a tranny that can hold up, that is.

Personally, i cant wait for this truck. Im seriously considering waiting to buy a used tow rig to tow my K5 and look into one of these as a family tow vehicle.

 

I heard the Lexus 470 (4.7L) will be replaced by the 550 (5.5L VVT).

 

I can't wait for a new Thundra. While I'm happy with my 04 with 26,500 miles on it, I know the next version of the Thundra is going to have me going ga-ga. I just hope, somehow, that the next V-8 will get better gas mileage than 14-17, wishful thinking, that and I hope I won't get too hurt on either trade-in or when I sell my 04. I will wait for the first year bugs to get worked out though. Still, thanks for the update, keep them coming.

 

Ben, I only get 13-16 in my 2000 Landcruiser (she's a heavy girl!). The new 4.7 VVT gets the same mileage and more power. I'm sure the new V8 will be 5.5 VVT but I don't know if they will stop using the 4.7 VVT in the Tundra completely. I assume the 4.7 VVT will remain the V8 available in the 4Runner.

As far as your trade in goes, the vehicle will be worth plenty when the time comes to trade in. I was very pleased when I sold my Tacoma recently. Toyotas do very well on resale.

 

Damn that's hot!!

I'm serious, I'm a little turned on by all of this.

 

I know that no one buys a full-size truck for good gas mileage however while my non-VVTi 4.7 got 14-17, the VVTi gets 15-18, better mileage with, like you said, more power. I can only hope the new 5.5 will do even better as technology and materials improve, composite bed, lighter this that and the other thing.

I am glad to hear that I won't bet beat up bad when trade-in time comes, it is one big reason why I bought a Toyota, pay more up front, get legendary reliability and more at resale. I can't wait for the new Tundra.

I've had a sort of careless winter though, just the other day I backed into my snowmobile trailer and got scratches on my R. Rear fender flare, and another time while backing up to a retaining wall to load my sled into the box, I scratched the tailgate on the wall, minor stuff, and I know it is what trucks are supposed to be used for and it makes the truck look tough and used the right way, but I might just get a little less at trade-in, oh well, a truck is a truck, right, and so long as the engine/drivetrain/brakes/suspension are all good, what do cosmetics matter, right?

 

I can't wait for a 3/4 ton Toyota truck to come out. I used my 1978 F-250 (460 V8 baby!) to tow a huge car trailer when I was moving (easily over 8K lbs) and it didn't break a sweat. As I was driving it, I was thinking how there was no way any current Toyota could pull it.

 

14 mpg?


I get like 12 maybe 13, but pretty much all city driving.

 

I've heard rumors of people yanking 10k with a Tundra using a fifth wheel, or close to it with weight dist. I don't think I'd try it (if the trailer brakes failed, you would NOT stop in time in a stock truck) but it seems like it could be done.

 

Not really into the big trucks but I've always thought Tundras were nice and this is the first time I'm looking forward to seeing the unveiling of a full size truck.

Still not nuts about the Sequoia tho'.

 

In my truck, I average 16 mpg in both city and highway driving, sometimes higher on the highway like 16.4 and 16.7, not bad for a truck and V8.

 

Wait let me get this staight....
A heavy duty truck built by Toyota, is going to actually be "Full Sized"....Will have a diesel option.... and is going to give the big 3 a run for their money? AHHHHHHHHH (wipes drool from chin!!) Ok where do I sign-up? Hopefully it won't have a the price tag some of the heavy duty's on the market right now.

Also has anyone noticed that the big three are starting to take Toyota seriously? I saw a commercial the other night and the guy was saying "Our truck has BLAHBLAH BLAH BLAH more than Ford, Dodge, and even Toyota!" Just struck me as odd since you never really heard that until of late.