Toyota Tundra study now ‘continuous’

The full-size Toyota Tundra pick-up truck is now under continuous study for launch into the Australian market.

A new generation of the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado rival is nearing the end of development in the US and is due on sale there before the end of 2021.

That means an Australian right-hand drive version wouldn’t be seen before 2022 at the earliest – and that is optimistic timing.

Toyota Australia sales and marketing chief Sean Hanley confirmed to carsales this week that the Tundra business case continued to be worked on.

“Are we studying that (full-size pick-up) market continuously? Yes, we are. Have we confirmed we are bringing that model to market? No we haven’t.”

Hanley confirmed Toyota Australia had yet to establish if the factory in Texas where the Tundra is built was willing to tool-up for a right-hand drive version of the truck.

“We haven’t engaged in that level of discussion,” he said.

That would suggest that a local right-hand drive conversion is under more serious consideration. The dominant player in that business in Australia today is Walkinshaw Automotive Group (WAG), which already converts both the Silverado and the RAM utes to RHD.

The Silverado and RAM have driven massive growth in the full-size pick-up market in Australia, despite most models costing more than $100,000.

Toyota Australia could enter a deal with WAG to convert the Tundra, or another option could be to dramatically expand the capabilities of its own product planning and development division that has played a key role in the Toyota HiLux Rogue and Rugged X.

Not that Hanley was willing to share such details. Instead, he was emphatic Toyota’s ongoing studies would provide a local Tundra program with the best chance of success.

“We are on record as saying we continue to review that market segment. We have seen that market segment grow in recent years,” he said.

“For us, at Toyota, it’s about building a business case that works for Toyota.

“We don’t have any announcements today, but one thing about Toyota, when we bring something to market we study it and we get it right.

“We will look at that market carefully, we will continue to study it, we continue to look at business cases, whether we can make it work.

“Believe me, if indeed at some stage we can make it work, we will do it right.”

The new Tundra is expected to trade in its petrol V8 engine for a twin-turbo V6 and will be based on the same TNGA-F ladder frame as the next-gen Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series.