So I've been thinking.... Tacoma with a V8 option.

Let's all have a little history lesson. Most of this stuff most of you will already know.
In 2005 when we were all getting excited about the new Taco and Toy was working on the new Tundra. As we were getting ready to say good bye to the Tundra as we knew it, we were saying hello again (before good bye) in the form of the new 05 Tacoma. The smart ass Japanese (not that type of smartass) used existing engineering for another application. For one, Look at your towing capacity. The 05 and up Tacomas at 6500 correct? Same for the Tundra DC V8, 6900 for the old Tundra access cab. Why are these numbers so close? Same rear end, same tranny, same front end parts and possibly sharing some of the frame hell who knows. Only varience is the 4.7. In other words put a 4.7 in a Tacoma and wala you have an old Tundra. Now I heard talk, justifiable or not of a V8 Tacoma. The reason some of these rumors started milling around again is because of one simple fact. Now with the advent of the 5.7 and the new Tundra Toy no longer competes with themselves And all other manufactures going the small truck big motor route doesn't help the rumor. (i wish they would. the 4.7 is basically trouble free for many, many miles).
At a meeting I also heard that Toy maybe scrubbing the 4.7 in the near future. I have noticed less of the Sport 4Runners coming with the engine.
The engine is aging. As reliable as it is it may be put out to pasture.
Unless they ad DUAL VVT-i somehow.
Maybe the 4.7 will happen in 2010 with new Tacoma model and when we drill on our own land for oil, superchargers will fall from the sky and lift kits will grow like corn used for fuel in the midwest.
As far as money for R&D let's put it this way Toyota could buy the "BIG 3" and not have to borrow a dime. So they got it.
Like I said you all probably knew these things but it's good to review them in chronological order to see how this thread came to be and why the 4.7 liter Tacoma is on some wish lists...including mine.

 

Ok, some custom shop put the Tundra engine in an 06 Tacoma for SEMA, and it looked sick. But as everyones been saying, it would kill in gas, and make Tundra sales decrease. Toyota already announced that they were going to make a Tundra Dually Diesel to compete even more with GM and Ford. But I wouldnt expect a V8 inside the Tacoma anytime soon.

 

Yeah all you need to do is get a supercharger and a tune and bam > 305 pos dodge dakota!

 

If i'm not mistaken i dont think you can bore the 4.0 liter

dont buy a BMW then. my 1990 325 had an inline 6 that was litterally crammed into the engine bay. you had to take the whole damn thing apart to do any work on it

 

Very good post, and no, i did not know most of that so it was very informative.

 

Guess people have been plugging away at this thread, Toyota working on a diesel powered Tundra, WTF?! If thats really the case then they better make a V8 Tacoma with and upgraded 4.7 and if its out in 2010 my Taco will be up for sale around that time

4x4 Chris cleared up alot of the negative ideas I had in my head about the Supercharger but I'm just having a hard time justifying putting another 6K in to my truck.

I guarantee if Toyota offered a V8 Taco they would outsell the V6 option. Regardless of the price of fuel. I live in the OC and work in LA and I can tell you first hand gas prices are not effecting hardly anyones commuting habits. I sit in a 2 hour traffic jam 5 days a week on a 6 lane highway.

 

Good point about the 4.7 as opposed to a diesel, Hailbop. Diesel is the most expensive fuel now! I say suspend diesel production and give us the damm V8 option! We as a group generally don't require diesel capability. How many applications can you truly cite for diesel anyway....maybe DanUSA can pull stumps on his farm. A V8 is in order here IMO.

 

i doubt the V8 would outsell the V6.

 

Ya, I gotta agree with that one.

 

yeah, only if they only offered the 4banger or the V8 and dropped the 4.0, but i dont think that'll happen.......

 

Everyone is ALWAYS chasing HP so if Toyota made it an option you guys are going to tell me you would pass on it???

 

Hell yeah! now were talking.... Maybe Toyota will offers us jobs

 

Very true, but I think that as much as I would love having that much power in a Tacoma, I wouldnt get it because the gas would kill. And you can still get a lot of HP out of the V6 with eenough mods of course. My stepbro has a V8 F-150, and he never has gas in that thing. He liked it when he got it because of the size of it, and now he hates to drive because hes always on empty.

 

Bottom line is.... Some peeps want the V8 some do not. Thats is why it should be an Option. The engineers over at Toyota (Who Are Way Smarter Than Us) will figure out a way to make it an option. United states is a consumer nation and we love to spend money on $hit we don't need its been proven time and time again! We like going places and getting lots of options, Thats ways stores like BestBuy exist. So anyone saying and Option for a V8 Taco is not necessary is selling them selfs and others who might want it short.

As far as gas goes... My truck sucks gas crazy!!!! I get about 17mpg on a good day and if I got a Supercharger I would be get way worse mpg... Maybe like 13????

 

Yesss

 

Not true. personally i dont care if they make the V8 an option or not. nothing wrong with more options. but i got all the truck i need. i have plenty of power to keep up with traffic, and i'll never need to tow over 6500 lbs, so more power would just be a waste. in all honesty an I4 would probably be enough for me. if a V8 is an option im sure it would sell, but i doubt it would outsell the V6 or the I4. and the question toyota has to ask itself is "is this financially viable?" maybe, maybe not, i dunno.

 

Yep i think the way to go is be more fuel efficient, large engines are gonna start to become very rare, instead i think we are gonna see more capable small engines like the v6....

 

Honda and all the Import speed racers have been on that note for a while now and since then they have been falling short time and time again.