In the past, the era of the performance truck has concluded. Many enthusiasts recall the Ford F-150 SVT Lightning – not the electric version, but the one featured in The Fast and The Furious. However, there were some unconventional performance trucks that have faded into obscurity. One standout came from Toyota, known for its off-road vehicles, and it was named the Tacoma X-Runner. Toyota is resurrecting this name for a customized 2024 Tacoma concept (among others) that will be unveiled at the upcoming SEMA show.
While Toyota has not yet revealed any official visuals, the company has shared the initial phase of its fabrication process on its YouTube channel. This is not just a mere conceptual project. It is a collaborative effort between Toyota’s Calty Design Center and the Technical Center located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Calty oversaw the design of the lowered street truck, while the Technical Center focused on lowering the lifted 2024 Tacoma to ground level. What sets this apart is that the truck is equipped with the robust 389-horsepower 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 engine from the Tundra, making this X-Runner incredibly powerful.
Toyota mentions that this truck was initially envisioned by a member of the Calty Ann Arbor team as a potential production model, but it was put on hold during the design phase. Recently, it was revived and proposed for a SEMA construction project to demonstrate its potential appearance. The truck features TRD Pro flares for added width, and it sits lowered on 21-inch wheels with carbon fiber rims. Contributing to the increased width are Tundra control arms, with the truck also equipped with air suspension for height customization.
Although the X-Runner’s legacy is brief, it shines brightly. It was marketed from 2005 to 2015 as part of the second-generation Tacoma. Its name, X-Runner, stemmed from its X-shaped chassis reinforcement, featured lowered suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, offered a standard six-speed manual transmission, and was exclusively rear-wheel drive. This peculiar truck has now transformed into a distinctive cult favorite.
Despite trucks largely embracing toughness and off-road capabilities after the debut of the Ford F-150 Raptor, there remains an affinity for performance trucks. More specifics will be disclosed leading up to SEMA, but this X-Runner concept undoubtedly represents an impressive truck.
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