Toyota is gearing up to introduce an all-new Tundra and it has big ambitions for the redesigned pickup.
The latest indication of this is our first glimpse at the new iForce MAX engine. The company is understandably staying tight-lipped, but says that the “next generation of heroic iForce performance is ready to power the all-new Tundra.”
That isn’t much to go on, but the teaser image shows an engine cover with three ribs. Since it only shows half the engine, it’s natural to assume there are six ribs altogether and this presumably indicates a V6 powertrain.
Also Read: Toyota Lights Up All-New 2022 Tundra Ahead Of Its Debut
That’s just speculation, but Toyota North America’s executive vice president of sales recently told MotorTrend that the Tundra will be offered with two all-new engines, including an entry-level unit with “substantially” more power and torque than the current 5.7-liter V8 that produces 381 hp (284 kW / 386 PS) and 401 lb-ft (544 Nm). While nothing is official, the Land Cruiser’s new twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 would fit that bill as it develops 409 hp (305 kW / 415 PS) and 479 lb-ft (650 Nm) of torque.
The second powertrain is more mysterious, but Bob Carter has said it will “blow you away.” That’s pretty vague, but Toyota recently confirmed plans to “bring electrification to its pickup truck lineup in the near future”, which suggests we can expect either a hybrid or plug-in hybrid variant.
Toyota also dropped a few hints about the Tundra during a panel discussion at an event CarScoops attended earlier this month. While the company was coy on specifics, they said they’re adopting a “build more, sell more” philosophy which suggests Toyota wants to significantly increase annual sales from the 110,000 to 120,000 units they’ve been selling the past seven years. The automaker also hinted the redesigned Tundra will have more variants as well as more room between the entry-level and range-topping models.
Toyota previewed the 2022 Tundra last month and it’s slated to have a more muscular and rugged design. Among the highlights are a sculpted hood and new L-shaped headlights. The teaser also revealed one variant will have grille-mounted marker lights as well as a light bar.
