Next Gen mule spy shots

Well I thought I inferred that with the "nightmare" werd....
​

 

6AT with the current ratios for 1st-5th (basically Tundra's 6-speed) and paddle shifters.

 

That's exactly what I thought...... And maybe they slapped a 2nd gen body structure ontop of a 3rd gen chassis to test it.

That'll be really disappointing if they don't make a major changes all around. I love my 2nd gen, but I want something different to look at and Awwww over!!

Does anyone find it weird.... these are supposed to be spy shots, yet its pictures of the whole truck in & out? Ummm.....

 

Like others said its most likely testing of new drivetrain and tranny

 

Sub'd

 

Dash looks a bit like the 2014 4runner dash

 

I bought my truck because of the turn and push e-brake. I was mad enough it lost the "trigger" somewhere over the years.

yank up e-brake shown is blasphemous and should die. better fuckin not be real

 

why did they go to 8k on the tach with the redline still indicated about 6k

 

It is a power train mule from the TTC in Ann Arbor, MI and built in January 2014. Simple as that.

 

Not sure is srs

 

If the Dash looks like the T4R then its already outdated.

That ugly blue screen for vehicle info is very old school, lots of cars were using that in the early 2000's.

Most cars now are switching to a TFT (TV Screen) for the vehicle info, and even the gauges. I hate those retro Info boxes.

 

^I wouldn't be surprised if the "redesign" got something other cars have been having for years anyway. Kind of disappointing. Similar to the previous actions. Instead of actual better features we've been getting things like new bumper and TRD Pro (i.e. shocks lesser than you see here)

One of my beefs is that Toyota is nearly the only motor company that has not put a tailgate cap on the tail gate. It reduces drag (Not by enough but when you're scrunching numbers, you're scrunching numbers) looks better, and provides a handle to pick it up by so you don't scratch the paint. Tacoma got a tailgate spoiler option for gulf states the past but it is extremely rare to see and is actually angled up like a real spoiler which is a little bit of a turn off for non-xrunners

 

When I worked in Computer Engineering, years ago .... It's hard to have the assembly line assemble a "special" test vehicle (or anything else for that matter). Often times Engineering will take a regular build Item and modify it, or just build their own from available parts.

 

Besides the photos, I've been very observant of Tacoma development and have moderate insight. Nice truck BTW.

It's a test mule, they're using whatever was available in December 2013 or January 2014 when this was built. That mule's components aren't fully representative of the production design, in being strictly power train related.

Needs improvements and will get them for sure. Toyota knows they cannot phone it in or they just might see disappointing results for once. The last year has been critical for Toyota developers, as finishing touches are put on the 2016 trucks into next year. This is the time to do it right.

 

So what do you have to say about a previous member saying that the screen was out of date? Are you referring to a redesign for 2016? If so, do you think that we have a definite 3rd gen coming next year?

 

yes, I did notice that for "spy shots" they got a lot of up close shots. Did someone park it out in the open and walk away?

 

I'm pretty sure they were allowed to look. Toyota planned for that after all, looking at the covered up components