Toyota shocked SEMA Show attendees at the Las Vegas Convention Center by pulling a complete 180° from last year’s show, where they introduced the Tundra Trailhunter concept in Central Hall. This year, the focus was on the 4th Gen with a re-imagined vision of the iconic X-Runner badge rather than focusing on the continuously growing overland market.
“At one time, 2WD “sport” trucks made their presence known on roads everywhere. Lowered, fast and tuned by enthusiasts who focused on performance between stoplights instead of worksites, campsites or trailheads.” Toyota USA
Toyota had a few reasons for bringing the vision to a reality which we will break down in this article. The first reason for this concept was to get a customer pulse check to see if Toyota should even make this concept a reality. In addition to the pulse check, Toyota really wanted to push the boundaries and showcase the possibilities of the new global TGNA-F platform for their body-on-frame trucks, and I think they executed that well with this Tundra-powered concept.
More 4th Gen content…
- Color Options
- Trim Levels
- Powertrain
- MSRP Pricing
- MPG Numbers
- First Drive & Impressions
- Toyota Build Configurator
Table Of Contents
History
The 2nd-Gen X-Runner was truly an epic street truck. This OG truck wasn’t just a lowered truck with a body kit; it included tweaks to the double wishbone suspension with Bilstein shocks paired stiffer springs, a bigger brake kit with 4 piston calipers by StopTech, hood scoop & ground effects kit, unique driving lights, sportier wheels with grippy Bridgestone Potenza tires, an improved final drive ratio, and a rear-mounted X-Brace to stiffen up the rear end of the frame (hence the name) with an anti-roll bar.
The original truck came with a 4.0-liter V6 that made 236 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque with 0-60 time of around 7 seconds. This truck also had an exclusive manual transmission with a limited-slip differential (which you won’t find in this concept vehicle).
Like the TRD Pros we currently have, the trim was only sold in three different colors every year, with only five color options in total. My two favorites that were offered are Radiant Red and Speedway Blue, which Toyota showcased perfectly on this concept vehicle.
There is no doubt that the OG X-Runner will be a classic in the near future, as they just don’t make raw driving experience vehicles like they used to. However, Toyota may want to bring that street truck experience back, with even crazier specs in the future. With that little history lesson out of the way, let’s take a look at this wild new concept that Toyota has up its sleeves.
SEMA Concept Truck
Can we just take a second to just look at this amazing truck? Holy smokes Toyota executed the evolution of the X-Runner perfectly especially in that stunning Speedway Blue color.
Like the original, this one is far from just a body kit and some flashy carbon bits. This truck is far from that. The custom aero-fairings with functional venting cool the massive 13.9-inch Tundra front brakes, providing higher heat capacity, and the functional hood scoop is purpose-built as well, drawing cool air into the engine bay.
Remember at the beginning of this article when I mentioned that Toyota wanted to showcase the possibilities of the TNGA-F platform? Well, Toyota was beyond successful in achieving that. Essentially this truck is a Frankenstein of Tundra and Tacoma parts working cohesively to make one badass street truck with massive power. To support the chassis modifications and engine, the overall track width was increased by just over three inches and the frame was strengthened. This truck has a Tundra rear end with air suspension and an integrated rear locker rather than the limited slip that the original had.
This rear locker combined with this truck’s beast of a powertrain, will make for some tires that get bald really fast!
The Engine
At the heart of this concept is a twin-turbocharged V6 i-FORCE 3.4L engine with the TRD Performance Package producing 421 horsepower with 479 lb-ft of peak torque from the 3rd-Gen Tundra. Yes, the Tundra’s engine fits right at home inside of the 4th Gen’s engine bay.
Not only that but the Tundra’s 10-speed transmission makes its way into this truck as well. Now, I know that there are those who want this truck to come in a manual, but that 10-speed is buttery smooth and Toyota did give this truck paddle shifters as well to help alleviate the desire for the manual transmission.
Will It Be Produced?
To be honest with you guys, as I was walking around this truck and poking around this truck while at SEMA, I truly couldn’t believe that it was a concept. I felt like this truck was ready to roll right off the assembly line. The fit and finish of this truck seemed well thought out down to every last detail. Nothing screamed or stood out as a concept vehicle or just another “thrown together last minute” SEMA build. This truck was truly exceptional.
“There were lots of street trucks in the early 2000s and they all faded, so on the one hand, this was a curiosity check to see if there is any market for street trucks at all, or if the market has entirely shifted to what we see today—tough, rugged, lifted vehicles,” Adam Rabinowitz of Toyota.
I posted both on my Instagram along my YouTube about this truck, and the consensus was that Toyota needed to build this truck ASAP. The positive response it has received I feel warrants Toyota moving forward and making this concept a reality. Now, will they build it exactly like this? Most likely not.
To be honest, if Toyota decided to move forward with this as its own trim level, they would base it off of the XtraCab trim level, with the standard 2024 i-FORCE powertrain, and hopefully add a manual transmission to it along with some other TRD Performace upgrades. Currently, for the 4th Gen Tacoma, you can only get a manual transmission in the Double Cab configuration and XtraCabs are exclusively an automatic transmission. It would be nice to see a manual offered in this config, and what better way to debut that than with the resurgence of this special trim?
Final Thoughts
What do you all think of this amazing build by Toyota? I think it is incredible and I really hope that it makes its way permanently into the 4th Gen lineup. Let us know what you think in the comment section.
If you want to check out my walk-around video on this truck, you can watch my video below. Thanks guys! Catch you in the next one!
I want one with 6spd manual, that thing is a beast. Toyota needs to do a protouring style Tacoma,
OMG. Blown away. I WANT ONE. Miss my black X Runner from back in the day.
Would like to see it first at a dealership. I would like to own one if the price is right.
For sure, same. That drivetrain is epic! Imagine getting into it a bit more. I bet you could tune and run some upgrades to get a couple hundred more hp out of this setup too…