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Toyota Australia says it has acquired an “overwhelming” response to last week’s confirmation that it’s engaged on a right-hand drive re-engineering program for the North American Tundra full-size pickup.
The mission to domestically re-engineer Tundras to right-hand drive (they’re solely made on the American manufacturing facility in left-hand drive) is a world-first for Toyota, and if all goes to plan will give the corporate’s native division one thing to sit down above the HiLux and LandCruiser 300 Series.
“It’s the primary vendor assembly I can recall in lots of many years the place I’ve heard whistling, cheering and 400 and one thing individuals in a room actually excited, as we’re,” Toyota Australia vice chairman of gross sales, advertising and franchise operations Sean Hanley informed CarExpert.
“… We’re actually enthusiastic about the truth that we are able to discuss to you about Tundra now,” he added, alluding to the truth that this program has lengthy been one of many trade’s worst-kept ‘secrets and techniques’.
As introduced final week, Toyota Australia is now starting its first public street testing with product planners, and has been working for a while with Melbourne-based Walkinshaw Group to develop and execute the large-scale RHD conversions right here.
In Toyota type it’s a sluggish, regular and cautious method – the corporate has not really formally confirmed the mission will come to final fruition, though it’s spending a heck of some huge cash if it’s all only a pipedream…
The ultimate stage of the re-engineering program earlier than launch can even see 300 road-ready transformed Tundras despatched throughout Australia from late 2023 into the palms of potential clients, who should agree to offer detailed suggestions in trade.
That factors to a market launch in 2024, at which level the Tundra would have three massive rivals: the Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado (each likewise transformed to RHD by Walkinshaw at its ever-growing Clayton manufacturing facility), and the Ford F-150, which shall be transformed by RMA Automotive at a facility in Melbourne from 2023.
All of those autos shall be, or are deliberate to be, bought at dealerships backed by the manufacturers, relatively than third-party converters promoting in area of interest volumes.
No OEM has but determined to make a contemporary US full-size pickup in RHD at their precise manufacturing facility, as a result of the gross sales potential in Australia is just too low to justify the manufacturing facility upgrades – although mixed Walkinshaw-reengineered Ram 1500 and Chevy Silverado fashions accounted for a strong 6000-odd gross sales mixed right here in 2021.
Regardless, it’s understood the Tundra’s chief engineer, US resident Mike Sweers, is an enthusiastic supporter of the plan, and is the person with last sign-off.
“It is a very totally different means of us creating the automobile. We’ve by no means fairly carried out this earlier than. And that is the primary time exterior of Japan {that a} automobile has been this extensively transformed to right-hand drive [for Toyota],” Mr Hanley added.
“… So after we carry – when and if, clearly we need to carry it to market – however when and if, this shall be as near an OE high quality conversion that you could get.”
Mr Hanley was eager to make clear that the promised 300 final-stage RHD growth Tundras talked about in final week’s press launch wouldn’t be mere mules destined for the crusher, however relatively road-ready autos that would find yourself bought as used autos.
“Subsequent yr we’ll carry the 300 to place within the clients’ palms to inform us how they’re going. , what issues do we have to have a look at,” Mr Hanley added, saying Toyota would personal these vehicles whereas present process this testing.
It’s not totally clear how Toyota will select mentioned clients.
What we already knew:
The RHD Tundras, ought to they get the total manufacturing inexperienced mild, will run a hybrid drivetrain that ought to make them barely much less of a guzzler than opponents.
The hybrid pairs a twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine (featured within the LandCruiser 300 abroad) and 10-speed computerized with a motor generator, new Energy Management Unit, and a sealed nickel-metal hydride battery charged by brake-energy recuperation.
Its outputs are 326kW of energy and 790Nm of torque, it’s rated to tow north of 5.0 tonnes, and makes use of a claimed 10.7 litres of petrol per 100km on the EPA cycle – not precisely inexperienced, however higher on the dino juice than its rivals.
In contrast to the hybrid Tundra, the Silverado and Ram 1500 are each solely obtainable in Australia with V8 petrol engines, whereas the F-150 will supply solely turbo V6 petrol energy when it hits showrooms in 2023.
Toyota says it intends to attract on “key parts” from its international components catalogue within the re-engineering course of, together with the steering column and rack, pedals, and shift lever from the right-hand drive LandCruiser 300 with which the Tundra shares a model of its platform.
“This mission reveals simply how critical we’re at Toyota about high quality, and a RHD Tundra is not going to be obtainable on the market in Australia, till we’re completely glad,” Mr Hanley added.
“We’re actually excited to get such a major mission to this stage, and look ahead to seeing growth prototypes on our roads and take a look at tracks within the weeks and months forward.”
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