Toyota Touts Tacomas, Tundras, and FJs at SEMA

Toyota is into its second year of taking up the big center stage location in the center hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, and this year it’s bringing trucks upfitted with its TRD parts.

There is no Swagger Wagon extended-length Sienna, nor a Top Fuel Camry, as had been shown in previous years, but this year might be more representative of things customers can actually buy, given a big enough TRD budget.

FJ BRUISER CONCEPT

Why no one had thought up this name before is baffling. Such a natural extension of “FJ Cruiser,” the last variation of the vaunted FJ line of OG sport utility vehicles. Toyota says the FJ Bruiser is “a King of the Hammers-worthy rock crawler,” and before you dismiss that as marketing hyperbole, check the specs.

The concept started with a 1966 FJ45 Land Cruiser Pickup, then the team at Toyota’s Motorsports Garage fabricated a full tube chassis and roll cage and mated the body to a new, more rigid custom frame. Next, they dropped a TRD-modified 358-cid NASCAR Cup V8 powerplant under the hood, bringing horsepower to 725 powerful ponies. The NASCAR engine has been detuned by TRD to function in off-road, rock crawling environments, Toyota said.

They fired it up the night before SEMA and man-oh-man did it sound good. Everyone at KOH would pull out of your way, shut down their rides, and just watch—and listen—to you roll on by.

The rig rides on a full trailing-arm suspension, Fox shocks, Eibach springs, and 42-inch BF Goodrich Krawler T/A KX tires mounted to 20-inch Method Beadlock wheels. And because that wasn’t “unstoppable” enough, the team replaced the center skid plate with a CAMSO track system that can be used to power out of any high-centered situations. The CAMSO track is controlled from the cockpit, and “tank mode” can be activated with the push of a button. It’s like a heavy-duty snowmobile track under your truck.

Yes, this could compete in KOH, and probably do pretty well.

TACOMA X-RUNNER CONCEPT

From fully off-road-capable to full street domination, we have the Tacoma X-Runner Concept. Toyota says it’s “a celebration of what the TGNA-F platform makes possible; for sport truck devotees, it represents a possible next thrilling step in street truck evolution.”

The transformation began with a 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro. Then Toyota’s in-house Calty Design Studio lengthened and strengthened the frame and dropped in a modified i-FORCE 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with the TRD Performance Package producing 421 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque.

If those output numbers sound good, Toyota says this engine option will be available next year beginning with new Tundra models as part of a TRD Performance Package upgrade.

Underneath is a Tundra solid axle with a 4.30:1 final drive ratio and an electronic locking differential to send torque to the rear wheels.

“To achieve a proper street stance and further demonstrate the TGNA-F platform flexibility, the team sourced a Tundra air-suspension to attain the lowest possible ride height while still carrying a load,” Toyota said.

Outside, Calty added custom aero-fairings and functional venting to help cool X-Runner’s 13.9-inch front brakes. The functional hood scoop is purpose-built as well, drawing cool air into the engine bay. X-Runner’s “Speedway Blue” paint scheme is a subtle nod to the livery the original wore when it was introduced at the 2004 Chicago Auto Show.

FJ45 RETRO CRUISER BUILD