Will Toyota Australia offer a hotter TRD version of its new HiLux?
That's the question following the release of a teaser image showing what appears to be a new variant of the Tacoma pick-up, the US sister model to our HiLux, ahead of its world debut at the Chicago motor show tomorrow (Friday Australian time).
No details have been provided, Toyota USA saying only: "It's not quite grilling season, but Toyota is heating up the Windy City with a world premiere Thursday, Feb 11.
"Can't make it to the Chicago Auto Show? Watch the reveal live from anywhere at 1:30 pm CT at http://livestream.com/Toyota/chicago2016."
The identity of Toyota's world premiere this week remains unclear, but the grille and bonnet scoop of the vehicle in the image is clearly the same as the North America's new Tacoma.
However, the large 'TOYOTA' lettering is different to the Toyota logo seen on most of its production models including the Tacoma, and similar to the badging seen on TRD Pro versions of Toyota's 4Runner, Tundra and previous-generation Tacoma in the US.
Toyota Thailand showed a TRD prototype of the latest HiLux at the Bangkok motor show last July, badged as the Toyota HiLux Sports TRD Concept.
At the time, however, Toyota Australia – which discontinued the TRD brand here in December 2008, when the HiLux TRD and Aurion TRD were killed off – said it had no plans to introduce a TRD version of its new HiLux.