Toyota Unveils TRD Desert Chase Tundra Concept And New Accessories

The Toyota Tundra has been redesigned for the first time in more than a decade, so it comes as little surprise the truck is looking to make a splash at SEMA.

Headlining the event is the TRD Desert Chase Tundra, which is based on the Tundra TRD Pro and draws inspiration from desert racing support vehicles.

Looking undeniably aggressive, the pickup has been equipped with a wide-body kit that features bulging fenders which help to cover 18-inch forged aluminum wheels wrapped in 37-inch General Grabber X3 tires. The model also sports a tubular front bumper, a long-travel suspension, and a custom roll cage with Rigid lights that can be electronically raised and lowered.

Driven: The 2022 Toyota Tundra Is A Tougher, More Capable Pickup With Available Hybrid Power

Since the concept was envisioned as a support vehicle, its bed has been outfitted with everything an off-road racer might need. In particular, there’s a custom-mounted off-road jack, a 15 lbs (6.8 kg) CO2 bottle as well as fuel and water containers. They’re joined by two spare tires and an ARB Tred Pro Recovery Board.

Under the hood, there’s an all-new i-Force Max powertrain that consists of a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6, a nickel-metal hydride battery, and an electric motor that is effectively sandwiched between the engine and a ten-speed automatic transmission. It enables the truck to produce a combined output of 437 hp (326 kW / 443 PS) and 583 lb-ft (790 Nm) of torque.

Toyota Lifts The Tundra

When we test drove the Tundra earlier this year, Toyota announced plans to offer a dealer-installed lift kit and an assortment of other accessories. We’re now getting a peek at them thanks to a customized 2022 Tundra Limited outfitted with the TRD Off-Road package.

Among the highlights are a TRD lift kit that provides an additional 2.6 inches (66 mm) of ground clearance, while also improving the approach, departure and breakover angles by 5 degrees, 1 degree and 2 degrees, respectively. Other off-road goodies include a TRD skid plate, TRD cast aluminum running boards, and a TRD Off-Road wheel and tire package.

The accessories don’t end there as the model also sports a bed extender, a folding tonneau cover, a bed mat, a dash cam, and swing-out storage boxes in the bed. They’re just a few of the more than 100 accessories for the redesigned pickup.

Power comes from the non-hybrid version of the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6. It produces 389 hp (290 kW / 394 PS) and 479 lb-ft (649 Nm) of torque, which makes it more powerful than the previous 5.7-liter V8.

Besides the torquey engine, the truck has been equipped with the aforementioned TRD Off-Road package. It includes an electric locking rear differential, a Multi-Terrain Select system as well as Crawl Control and Downhill Assist Control.