2024 Toyota GR Tundra Sport: Review & Specs -The whole concept of the series is based on the idea of presenting one-off tales that investigate the possibilities of how a certain event may play out differently in a parallel world. It’s an intriguing idea, and there’s no reason why Marvel should be the only company that can implement it. Join us as we take a trip to another scenario, one in which Toyota made the decision to expand its lineup of performance-oriented GR vehicles to include models other than the Supra, the GR86 sports car, and the Corolla hot hatch. Way beyond.
Review
What about a 2024 Toyota GR Tundra Sport vehicle from the year 2024? Consider the implications. Imagine for a moment supposing Gazoo Racing was able to fit all of its racing and performance expertise into a full-size Tundra. You really don’t need to put too much effort into imagining what such a Toyota might look like since Abimelech Design has already made some renderings of what it would look like.
If you’re feeling a lot of vibes from the Toyota Tacoma X Runner, that’s a good sign! The X Runner was an outstanding midsize truck that had a six-speed manual gearbox and a low-set sport suspension; however, it is unknown whether or not Toyota still offers this model in its current lineup. No! We consider this to be the heresy of the greatest sort. The Toyota Tacoma X Runner was essentially a sports car disguised as a pickup truck. What could possibly be objectionable about that? It is difficult to deny the allure of a road-hugging pickup truck that has a low stance, especially if you are someone who came of age during the sport truck period in the 1990s.
Why did we decide to make a bigger version of our retro-modern X Runner design? The primary reason for this is because the Tundra’s powertrains have a bit more room for improvement in terms of producing more power than the current Tacoma’s antiquated 2.7-liter inline-four and newer-but-average 3.5-liter V-6 engines do. The i-FORCE MAX twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 with hybridization is an optional engine option for the 2023 Toyota Tundra. This engine produces 437 horsepower and gobs of torque.
We are willing to wager that Toyota is capable of increasing the engine displacement to 4.0 liters as a tribute to the Tacoma X Runner, maintaining or removing the electric motor (customer option!), and increasing the boost pressure to provide a beautiful, round 500 horsepower. Additionally, there is no way that this vehicle has three pedals in addition to a shifter. Unfortunately, due to the nature of this vehicle being a contemporary truck, Toyota’s “intelligent manual transmission” (IMT) that features rev-matching is not an option. Even for a GR-ified truck, the possibility of installing stick gear is quite unlikely.
In addition to having its technical components rethought in order to fulfill the duties of a sports vehicle, the Tundra requires stylistic cues that unmistakably shout “GR.” What about a forged carbon fiber roof that is directly influenced by the component that is featured on the Circuit Edition GR Corolla? Our GR Tundra has forged carbon that runs all the way up to the front fascia, which has a splitter built into it. The grille’s polygonal pattern is derived directly from the GR86 as well. Last but not least, the GR Tundra receives its signature broad fenders, which are not only required but also quite aesthetically pleasing.
When engaging in sport truckin’ maneuvers, the cabin should have seats that are not only comfy but also adequately bolstered to keep the driver and front passenger safe. Although there are, in fact, rear seats, according to the custom of sport trucks, those seats should be almost inaccessible to anybody who is taller than five feet; extended cabs take the cake! It is currently standard on the Tundra to have wireless support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but these features should be matched with a speaker system that produces a sound that is as excellent as it can be without adding additional weight; we believe the JBL system that comes standard on the higher trim levels will be sufficient. It ought to be the norm for steering wheels to have a flat base, and integrated shift lights need to be an optional add-on. If the passengers open their eyes when they are inside the cabin, they should be greeted with carbon fiber trim right away; otherwise, something is really wrong.
Will the people who work for Ford and GM trucks look down their noses at a GR Tundra and refer to it as a “boy racer truck”? Even if this is the case, you will know deep down in your heart that their mockery is really a disguise for their raging envy. After all, the F-150 Lightning is now an electric vehicle, and we haven’t seen a current version of the Syclone anywhere. Are we going a little bit too far with this? Yes, but let’s not forget that this is only a “what if” scenario. We can only hope that some enterprising product planner at Toyota will read this and be moved to action as a result. After all, a GR Tundra would be a fantastic addition to the portfolio if it were really feasible to manufacture one. It would serve as an anchor point on the other end of the performance spectrum from the rugged TRD Off-Road version. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that, if it does end up happening, the result will be something like this.