Heavy Duty Toyota Tundra may not happen

[dascrow]

The new Toyota Tundra has not had a particularly smooth launch so far this year, and that could play into future plans for the full-size truck. There have been complaints about the quality of the interior materials, the lack of a fully boxed section frame, and basic design lapses like the bolt heads in the bed that stick up too high. It's now being reported that plans for the heavy duty version for the Tundra are now on hold inside Toyota. The HD pickup hasn't been canceled but it's not approved at this point, according to Toyota Motor Sales VP Bob Carter. Nissan has reportedly canceled its plans to create heavy duty version of the Titan earlier this year. One could speculate that the combination of high gas prices and other Tundra issues (like the camshaft matter) could cause Toyota to do the same, but Toyota has so much invested in the Tundra already (in terms of money and pride), we can easily see them addressing the aforementioned issues down the road, perhaps after a mid-cycle enhancement, and then revisiting the now-in-limbo HD version.

[HoustonPerson]

I would think that ultimately, Toyota would "need" HD in order to be a true competitor.

Those of us that do "serious" towing at 10,000 lbs combined with payload requirments of 2,000 to 3,000 lbs know full well the current half ton model is pushed well beyond it's limits.

It is possible Toyota could "own" the half ton market, and leave the 3/4 to 1 ton to Ford, GM, and Dodge.

The current DPF crises in that market has put a large number of buyers "off" and out of the market. Some guestimate 50-70% of the buyers are "not" buying because of all the problems Ford and Dodge are having with their DPF systems which include 35% less MPG. GM does not seem to have as many engineering or mechanical issues, but do have a 20% loss in MPG.

There is a "serious" need for 3/4 to 1 ton quality vehicles and that "need" is not being met! The door is wide open for Toyota. Number one question is: Do they have the engineering capacity to address that need?

[toytech19]

Although They Have Put Hd Plans On Hold They Are No Longer Talking Hd Being A Gas Motor They Are Working On A Cat Deisel Contract And Frame Upgrades And Most Likly Will Be An Mid 08 To Mid 09 Launch As For Gm They Going To Have Major Troubles In The Next Months With 72000 Workers Walking Off The Assembly Lines They Have Put A Holt On All Product Including The Mexico And Canada Plants

[toytech19]

toyota has now signed a contract with cat it will be a v-10 deisel putting out over 700 ft/lbs torque

[rmjdrift]

how accurate is the CAT signing, cause i heard the Dodge was also talking to CAT for a new diesel.

I want a Tundra Diesel, BANKS Powered TUndra, sweet!!

[toytech19]

Cummin Wont Let It Happen They Will Bid To Keep The Dodge Market And If For Some Reason Toyota Back Out With Cat The Next In Line Is Hino And Third Is Some Deisel Company That Has Not Realised A Motor In The Us

[BTrzebiato]

I am not sure about all the details, but I did read an article where outside of the U.S., that Toyota has diesel engines that go by the abbreviated name D-CAT.

[hedlesbrmstkbass]

i think it would be pretty foolish of toyota to not go into the heavy duty market...if you look at the sales of domestic pickups the half ton market...especially for ford...has gone down and the demand for heavy duty pickups has jumped.

if toyota could come up with a hd pickup with a CAT diesel...not a hino powered one...i would seriously consider buying one...and i do not like toyota..at all

[JackMS]

I think the biggest question to what to build, for any company, is Will it sell? If I was Toyota, my question would be 2 fold.
1. How many people who like Toyota need or would buy a HD?
2. How many Ford/Chevy/Dodge HD loyal owners can be converted?

[boone]

Rumor is Ford Motor Company bought a portion of cummins, Caterpillar is building a p/u motor. And if toyota wants to get a good lead on hd market, built a bunch and give them to mine sites, road development companies in Northern Canada(Nunavut, North west Territories) Ford is the most used in the north.

[newdude]

Originally Posted by JackMS

I think the biggest question to what to build, for any company, is Will it sell? If I was Toyota, my question would be 2 fold.
1. How many people who like Toyota need or would buy a HD?
2. How many Ford/Chevy/Dodge HD loyal owners can be converted?

witht eh way gas is going, the want will decrease. And personally, i think the big 3's loyalists will stay to their hd's and maybe a couple would convert. The tundra is good and all but HD might sink them.

[TundraTough]

The last that I heard when I was working for Toyota corporate was that they partnered up with Isuzu for the diesel engine. They even bought several million in shares from the company. This was 8 months ago.

[Ultimate1]

Isuzu?? That would mean a Duramax Tundra??!! That would rock!! On that note, is Toyota and GM teaming up?? I know that the matrix and vibe are the exact same vehicle , I was just wondering if their will be more vehicles that are coming down the pike? Or company merge maybe???? All that Tundra would ever need Allison and Isuzu to make an awsome Truck of the Century!!!