Yawn. Another truck boat. Neither compares to the 1978 FJ45

12 Responses to Yawn. Another truck boat. Neither compares to the 1978 FJ45

1. Buccaneer says:

   29 May, 2023 at 4:21 pm

   Thanks to the climate worriers, it won’t be too long before someone that lives or travels in regional aus will need to buy a US style pick up truck as the euroweenies are banning combustion engined vehicles.

   Ford has basically discontinued everything other than trucks. Other makers going the same way. All you will be able to buy is a signal flare on wheels that will need to use facilities shared with the criminally virtuous https://www.gizmochina.com/2023/05/06/shooting-over-tesla-charging/
2. Entropy says:

   29 May, 2023 at 4:22 pm

   Awesome.

   And I mean it.
3. Entropy says:

   29 May, 2023 at 4:24 pm

   Also as a work vehicle, I would be more interested in a 70 series comparison.
4. John of Mel says:

   29 May, 2023 at 4:32 pm

   From the article:

   ‘Toyota has confirmed an extensive development program in Australia for the Tundra pick-up, demonstrating its intention for local development and evaluation experts to re-engineer Tundra in a RHD format and evaluate the vehicle against Australia’s severe local conditions and tough customer use,’

   This always makes me wonder – is this one of those lines that some singer touring Australia would say at a concert? “You are my favourite audience!”
   The US has temperatures ranging from -30 to +50. A lot of people also use them for work, on farms, construction sites, etc. What’s so special about Australian conditions? Bad roads?
5. Buccaneer says:

   29 May, 2023 at 5:31 pm

   Michigan has plenty of bad roads too
6. Bruce of Newcastle says:

   29 May, 2023 at 9:12 pm

   Never a day goes by without Newscorpse orifices spruiking EVs.
   It amuses me, and redoubles my intention not to subscribe.

   The one I saw today was this one at the Tele. I was amused, especially as, weirdly, the article isn’t paywalled. Got to make sacrifices I suppose when you’re saving the planet. The thing looks like a small yellow beetle.
7. C.L. says:

   29 May, 2023 at 9:19 pm

   Most cares nowadays look like beetles or jellybeans.
8. Tel says:

   29 May, 2023 at 10:10 pm

   It’s bonkers to compare the Tundra to a HiLux when the Tundra is twice the price and not even competing in the same segment of the market.

   Comparing Tundra with the Land Cruiser makes sense. Those two might at least be in the same ballpark. Land Cruiser is a very old V8 design, usually diesel and incredibly well tested and reliable with a vast number of rusted on Australian supporters. The Tundra is a newish V6 petrol, turbocharged up the whazoo to get performance and then with a relatively tiny electric motor which saves you fuel when tooling around in Sydney traffic. The electric motor is only 1/8th power of the V6 and has a smallish NiMh battery pack … obviously not intended for heavy work.

   It does make sense for Toyota to overlap the old with the new in that way … Scrubby Outback Jack is not even going to notice the Tundra, he already knows the right answer, indeed the only answer, is a Land Cruiser.

   The Tundra is for people who, by either bad luck or poor choice, need to battle the real worst roads in Australia … that being speed humps, roundabouts, and other traffic fungus found in the Inner West of Sydney at peak hour.
9. C.L. says:

   29 May, 2023 at 10:22 pm

   Exactly, Tel.

   …he already knows the right answer, indeed the only answer, is a Land Cruiser.

   ⬆️ 💯
10. Buccaneer says:

    29 May, 2023 at 10:38 pm

    Toyota will be forced to stop making Landcruisers, probably Tundras too. Many manufacturers are exploring the market to do factory remanufacture of old models ala Cuba as it’s not clear there will be enough key resources to make money on scaled up electric vehicle production, long term. The auto manufacturers know that lithium batteries are a huge risk with western consumer laws and replacing them often costs a third or more of the total vehicle cost. Mass replacement would put them out of business full stop.
11. John Brumble says:

    30 May, 2023 at 8:37 am

    John :
    Combination UV and salt (which occurs further inland than you might suspect) is uniquely Australian. Materials that will last for 25 years in any part of the US (and 50-+ in some) struggle to meet 10 in most Australia urban areas.

    There’s a reason US medics recommend Aus sunscreen and that many international materials standards don’t cut the mustard here.
12. John of Mel says:

    30 May, 2023 at 9:45 am

    Thanks John.
    I always thought the salt they put on icy city roads are more damaging for the car metal than salty air. But the UV is pretty bad, true that.
    In reality though, do they do anything apart from minor tweaks to the suspension (and seatbelts) for Australian versions?