Steve Parker Motoring / The Car Nut: TRD TUNDRA STREET CONCEPT

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO ALBUM! 2009 GUMBALL RALLY 3000

See Steve's exclusive Gumball Rally video from NBC-TV's Whipnotic website (copy and paste): http://www.whipnotic.com/videos/viewvideo-558.html Over 120 gas-guzzling super-exotic sports cars, Hummers, Cadillac Escalade SUVs and an occasional interesting older car roared on May 2, 2009, from a California beach-side parking lot directly onto I-10, the Santa Monica Freeway, also known as the Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway, for the start of this year's Gumball Rally. The world's most politically-incorrect automotive street event, the Gumball Rally 3000, left Santa Monica (CA) Pier on Saturday, May 2, 2009 and headed toward its ultimate destination of Miami, FL eight days later. Participants reportedly paid $44,000 per car/team to enter the event. Though the Gumball stresses the skills of its drivers (and their cars) there are only two race track "special section" stops scheduled for the 3,000-mile long event, which will be run on public roads with all entrants subject to all highway rules and regulations. All photos (c) 2009 by www.SteveParker.com

December 04, 2006

TRD TUNDRA STREET CONCEPT

An immediate hit with the gathered media at the LA AUTO SHOW press days seemed to be this 'TRD Tundra Street Concept'. Equipped with a TRD supercharger package featuring an Eaton Roots-type supercharger with an integrated air-to-liquid intercooler. Air flow is further enhanced with a TRD cold air intake, all mated in the rear with a stainless dual rear exhaust. TRD is 'Toyota Racing Development, the small 'skunk-works' type R&D shop just a few minutes from Toyota's North American headquarters in Torrance, CA. (Be sure to click on all photos to enlarge).

Based on the all-new 2007 Tundra being built in Texas, Toyota says their Street Concept includes a host of features specially-developed by TRD (meaning: Tundra owners can buy all these parts), providing significant styling and handling revisions and a more power, supercharged engine (our horsepower guess: about 480hp) designed to peak any performance enthusiast's interest.

Suspension-wise, the lower ride height is immediately noticeable. "Slammed" is the word, and the stock Tundra seems to have been designed for this modification. A new TRD Tundra-specific braking system has been developed and added to the truck with larger calipers and 16-inch drilled rotors for enhanced performance. A set of 285/45 tires ride on TRD 22x9-inch forged aluminum wheels.

Outside, check out the revised front grille and lower fascia with restyled rear valance and bumper. The tow hitch has been concealed and there's a power 'InfiniVu' tonneau cover with integrated spoiler. Toyota says that it is all topped off by a "High Impact Red" paint treatment. Inside, the seats are covered by custom fabric with leather console and door trim.

Some of the aftermarket companies which participated in this project are: ACSCO, Burbank, CA - AEM, Hawthorne, CA - Alcoa Wheels, Farmington Hills, MI - American Specialty Cars, Huntington Beach, CA - Magnuson Products, Ventura, CA - McGard, Buffalo, NY - StopTech, Torrance, CA - Progress Technology, Anaheim, CA - Cequent, Tekonsha, MI - Viam, Santa Fe Springs, CA.

Posted on December 04, 2006 at 06:56 PM in AUTO SHOWS | Permalink