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Toyota Tundra struts its stuff as new fullsize truck lineBy Larry Dreiling Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., unveiled the 2007 Tundra CrewMax full-size pickup at recent fall farm shows after months of television ads showing the truck being put through its paces. Toyota offered potential buyers and media a chance to ride in a CrewMax on a torturous frame-twisting course of mud, rocks small hills and goodness knows what else in an attempt to convince them their truck deserved to stand in the pantheon of greatness of the Detroit Three's pickup trucks. Designed, engineered and built in the United States, the Tundra line has raised the bar for a new standard in the full-size pickup truck segment for performance, capability, standard safety features and styling. Engines for the Tundra are built in Huntsville, Ala., while final assembly takes place at plants in Princeton, Ind., and a new plant in San Antonio, Texas. Yes, all those things in those extreme ads are true, as the Tundra was put through its paces with this reporter in the passenger seat. Acceleration, braking, hill climbing and downhill assist control and wheel control were all a part of the demonstration. A later trip to the local dealer gave me an opportunity to drive the truck by myself. The self-demo proved much of the farm show test correct--and likely a good reason why sales of the Tundra are up more than 50 percent from the previous year. This is a big truck, both in size as well as in a gamble for Toyota that they can break through the Detroit Three's lock on the full-size market. First, it's big in terms of engine size, with an available new 381-horsepower 5.7-liter i-Force V8 engine teamed to a new six-speed automatic transmission. The i-Force 5.7 is one of the most powerful engines to be made available in a half-ton full-size pickup. Specifically designed for full-size pickup applications, the i-Force 5.7 uses a long-stroke configuration (stroke dimension of 4.02 in. is more than the bore width of 3.70 in.). As a result, in addition to its impressive 381 horsepower at 5,600 rpm, the i-Force 5.7 unleashes 401 lb.-ft of peak torque at 3,600 rpm. Tundra 4x2 and 4x4 models equipped with the 5.7-liter engine will have city/highway fuel economy ratings of 16/20 mpg and 14/18 mpg, respectively. The i-Force 5.7 V8 uses aluminum for the cylinder block and double overhead cam heads. This engine's more advanced Dual VVT-i controls valve timing and overlap on both the intake and exhaust valves, which also helps optimize power, fuel efficiency and emissions. The i-Force 5.7 is teamed exclusively with a new six-speed automatic transmission, which is only slightly larger than the five-speed automatic. Shift logic adapts the transmission's shift maps to driver input. Both Tundra transmissions use new Toyota "WS" (world-standard) fluid with a flat viscosity/temperature curve (cold viscosity is close to warm viscosity). This fluid reduces friction and wear, enables faster vehicle warm-up, and never needs to be replaced. Then there's three cab styles: Besides the CrewMax, there's the Regular Cab, and the four-door Double Cab. Tundra offers high levels of user technology, including available Bluetooth cell phone compatibility, high-end audio and an optional navigation system that integrates a wide-screen rear backup camera. "We figure most people who will buy this truck will want to use this truck as a Mobile office and will spend their hard-earned money to have the truck outfitted as such. Because of that, we don't have too many options on these trucks, but rather, we have option packages keyed to what we've learned from potential users," said Craig Miner of P2R Associates for Toyota, who hosted the farm show stops. Everything is big on this truck, from the door handles designed so a guy can still wear his work gloves to brakes that have to be some of the biggest for this class of pickup. The front rotors measure 13.9 inches in diameter and 1.26-inches thick, with four-piston calipers. The rear discs measure 13.6 x 0.71-inch and use two-piston calipers. Anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist are standard on all models. EBD optimizes brake pressure at each wheel for greater control under braking, especially when cornering. The Brake Assist system is designed to determine if the driver is attempting emergency braking. If the driver has not pressed firmly enough on the brake pedal to engage the ABS, the system supplements the applied braking power until pedal pressure is released. The new Tundra scores another first for the full-size pickup truck segment by equipping every model with the company's most advanced traction-enhancing dynamic control. First, the standard Automatic Limited-slip Differential (A-LSD) provides computer-controlled cross-axle torque management that allows some wheel-spin (necessary for some surfaces). Compared to a conventional mechanical limited slip differential, the A-LSD system helps provide better acceleration in deep sand or mud and on low- or mixed-friction surfaces. The Tundra's 4x4 configurations offer a part-time, shift-on-the fly four-wheel drive system featuring a six-pinion planetary reduction gearset to provide high and low ranges. The driver selects the drive mode using a dial on the dash. Again emphasizing the size of this pickup, the Tundra's i-Force 5.7 models use a 10.5-inch ring gear --one of the largest in the segment. All Tundra differentials are made using new machining technology: "face hob" gear cutting for ring and pinion gears yields stronger tooth form and a greater engagement area for increased torque capacity and reduced gear noise. On the safety front, Tundra is the first full-size pickup to feature standard front and rear seat side and roll-sensing side curtain airbags in all models. Three-point seatbelts and adjustable headrests for all seating positions are likewise firsts in the segment. The optional tow package for i-Force V8 models increases towing capacity significantly, up to 10,800 pounds, depending on the model and drive train. The tow package is available on all V8 models and is standard on Double Cab Long-Bed models. While no long-term test results have been published on this vehicle, the immediate popularity of the Tundra as well as the truck winning Motor Trend's Truck of the Year award, no doubt will bring curiosity seekers to Toyota showrooms. The tests this reporter conducted indicate the Tundra could hold its own with the Detroit Three's offerings. Larry Dreiling can be reached by phone at 785-628-1117 or by e-mail at ldreiling@aol.com. 1/14/07 Date: 1/4/08
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