1999 Toyota Tundra

Toyota expects to go head to head with the Big Three in full size trucks.   The Tundra takes the lessons learned from Toyota's poor first effort with the T100 and has turned them into one tough truck.  Responding to customer and marketplace demands, Toyota has given this truck a V8 - and not just any V8.  The 4.7liter V8 is also used in the full size Lexus LX470 and Toyota Land Cruiser.  It generates 245hp@4,800rpm and 220lbs-ft of torque at 3,400rpm.

Cab options include both regular and extended cabs.  The extended cab will sport four doors but with handles on the outside of the cab as opposed to Ford, Chevy, Dodge, and GMC which place handles to the extra doors inside the truck.  Count on plenty of places to store stuff in the cab.

The Interior of the truck is standard Toyota - logically arranged and very carlike.  Looks like Toyota did steal some notes from the Ford Taurus on the radio and HVAC controls.

Toyota is predicting sales of around 80,000 units the first year.   This versus annual sales of 750K for Ford, 550K for Chevy, and 350K for Dodge.   Prices have not yet been announced but should be at least the same as the T100 if not lower because the Tundra will be produced in Princeton, Indiana at a new U.S. plant instead of imported from Japan where the T100 was made.  Expect to see it on sale in about May of 1999.

Interesting Fact: Toyota was originally going to call the Tundra the T150 but backed down when Ford threatened to sue because T150 sure sounds a heck of a lot like F150.