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Alright, look. I know that some of you saw this headline and scoffed. You might have even shouted, “Clickbait!” But there’s a thread here connecting the hybrid V8 that’s going into the new Toyota GR sports car, the full-size Tundra, and a Baja truck that was in development when the current-gen pickup launched not long ago. Stick with me, please, and if you still feel like I’m a crock at the end of this, then so be it.
Toyota spoke briefly about its new, electrified 4.0-liter V8 at last week’s Japan Mobility Show. It’s the engine that will power the upcoming GR sports car as well as its Lexus stablemate. We still don’t know how much horsepower it’ll make—some reports claim up to 900 hp combined between the hybrid system and twin-turbo engine—but that’s not the focus of this story. Instead, I’m intrigued by this response from Takashi Uehara, Toyota’s president of powertrains, when asked if the engine fits in the 300-Series Land Cruiser.
“Yeah, [it] could be [installed in a Land Cruiser],” Uehara told Australia’s Drive (no affiliation with us, by the way). “[It’s] possible.”
Of course, nowhere is the Tundra pickup mentioned in that quote. I get that. But the Tundra rides atop the TNGA-F platform, like all of Toyota’s current body-on-frame vehicles—including the 300-Series Land Cruiser.
The Tundra shares a lot with the full-size Land Cruiser that we don’t get here in the United States. From its platform and twin-turbo V6 powertrain to much of the switchgear inside, they are close relatives. I have a strong hunch that if the twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V8 can fit in the Land Cruiser, then it can fit in the American-built pickup, too. After all, Toyota spent a lot of time talking about the engine’s compact nature and how it’s an evolution of the upcoming 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a 400-hp target.
Toyota
Now, that’s all well and good, but Toyota would never stuff such a potent powertrain in a normal Tundra. The TRD Pro already makes an impressive 437 hp and 583 lb-ft of torque with the hybrid 3.5-liter V6. It simply wouldn’t make sense… unless Toyota is still quietly working on its factory Tundra desert runner.
I’m talking about this truck I reported on back in 2022. We received a tip from someone with inside knowledge of the Raptor-fighting Tundra’s development, saying that it was in testing and would be a lot like the Tundra Desert Chase concept from SEMA the year prior. That rig wore long-travel suspension, skid plates galore, and 37-inch General Grabber tires in case you forgot.
Could that tipster have been blowing smoke? Sure. However, I was at the Tundra hybrid’s first drive event in Monterey, California, when that story was published. A Toyota employee brushed up against me at dinner and said something to the effect of, “You know that story is going to get someone fired, right?” Point taken.
Additionally, we’ve seen a giant Tundra test mule out running around as recently as this summer. Pickup Truck + SUV Talk has the spy shots, and they show what looks an awful lot like an F-150 Raptor or Raptor R rival. That truck had fender flares wider than you’ll find on any Tundra currently in production, as well as fender vents and 37-inch tires. It even wore an iForce Max hybrid badge on the tailgate, though at the time, everybody just assumed it was the electrified V6 under the hood.
Like I said, you might think the stretch is too great to connect these dots. I understand. But don’t be surprised to see a battery-assisted, twin-turbo V8 in the long-awaited super Tundra—if it ever gets built.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
