2016, the option list for the next-gen Tundra will include a Cummins 5.0-liter turbo

Come 2016, the option list for the next-gen Tundra will include a Cummins 5.0-liter turbo diesel. That oil-burner is predicted to be rated at 300+ horsepower and, in true diesel form, more than 500 lb-ft of torque. This should make Nissan product planners sit up and mumble “rats,” as this appears to be the same engine being developed for the redesigned Titan, which debuts next year.
Toyota had been creating a similar diesel V-8, likely with its truck subsidiary, Hino, but scrapped the plan during the world economic meltdown a half decade ago. It’s suggested that if the Cummins diesel-powered Tundra proves popular, the Toyota/Hino program could get a restart.
Why would automakers care about light-duty diesel pickups? Come 2025, all automakers are up against the wall, a 54.5-mpg CAFE fleet mileage regulation that will have them scrambling for more miles per gallon. While there are several heavy-duty diesel pickups from Detroit, the only current light-duty model offered in half-ton pickups is the new 3.0-liter turbocharged EcoDiesel V-6. That engine, developed by Fiat-affiliate VM Motori and offered in the Ram 1500 full-size pickup, makes 240 horsepower, 420 lb-ft of torque, and is EPA-rated at 20-mpg city/28-mpg highway. There will most certainly be more to come.