The younger generation of car fans may not be aware of the trend of street trucks from the 90s to the early 2000s of the 20th century. These modified pickups typically have ultra-low suspension, huge wheels, and eye-catching custom paint. Toyota's 2024 Tacoma X-Runner concept car, which was unveiled at SEMA this year, recreates the trend of the year.
Loading...
Toyota has introduced more rugged versions of the Tacoma, such as the Trailhunter and TRD Pro versions. As a result, the R&D and design teams took the opposite direction in this year's SEMA project. In addition, it will give Toyota an idea of whether consumers are interested in the sports pickup trucks of the past.
"There were a lot of street trucks in the early 2000s, but they all disappeared. On the one hand, it's a curious experiment to see if there's still a market for street trucks, and on the other hand, to see if the market has completely shifted to the kind it is now – hardcore, durable, high-chassis vehicles. The chief designer of the Toyota Calty Design and Research Center said at the launch of the X-Runner concept.
Toyota gave the X-Runner concept an appropriately aggressive stance by widening the track by 7.6 centimeters. To enable the truck to fit 21-inch carbon wheels, the team borrowed and modified the Tantu's air suspension system, as well as a set of 6.4-centimetre-elevated Bilstein shock absorbers with an external reservoir.
The X-Runner Concept is powered by a 3.4-litre V6 twin-turbo engine that produces 421 hp and 649 Nm of torque, a significant improvement over the original car. In comparison, the most powerful machine in the regular version of the Tacoma is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine + electric motor that puts out 326 hp and 630 Nm of torque. In response to the increased power, Toyota transplanted the rear axle of the Tantu, including an electronic differential.
The bulk of the truck's exterior is track blue, featuring a trapezoidal front face with a huge opening and a light bar in the middle. The black hood has air intakes with red accents. The rectangular side exhaust extends from the front of the rear wheels on the driver's side. The hard cover covers the container. The rear has blacked-out lens taillights and a diffuser-like bumper at the bottom.
The cockpit has a pair of bright red seats with the X-Runner logo on the headrests and paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.
The Tacoma X-Runner was sold from 2005 to 2014 as an original street truck. It features a lowered suspension, a sports body kit and a canopy with air intakes. The 4.0-liter V6 engine puts out 236 horsepower to the rear wheels, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and a standard limited-slip differential. TRD also offers a 300-horsepower supercharged package for owners to choose from.