So Toyota is wussing out on the Engine, dang it. 270HP but add gearing

Exactly

I like how everyone already knows the hp, torque, power band, towing rating, etc....

 

Toyota just wants to clear out as much 2015 inventory as possible. Then they will hit us with torque numbers.

 

I was 1/2 a day in a dealer last week. No deals on the 2015 tacos. only the Tundras. If they want to move them they will cut the price like they have on the Tundras

 

They pretty much sell themselves no need for a discount. Discounts mean less profit for the dealer. Which is why the marketing department doesn't want the numbers released too soon. Its good business. The dealers don't want to have a bunch of 2015's on the lot while people are waiting for the 3rd generation to be released. Toyota didn't become the largest auto company in the world by not being smart.

 

Nothing to do with incentives. Of course the 2015 models will sell. Just makes more sense to give the juicy details after come lot space has opened up.

 

Not sure if it has been discussed or not but the 2nd gen "almost" beat out the newly developed 3.6 with 70 bhp more than the aging 4.0 in a 1/4 mile test. With the bed loaded down, the Yota actually splits the general. Its data like this that makes me feel better about the 3rd gen performance and not to sweat the numbers...

 

I am not too concerned about drag race numbers. My concern are load and towing capacity, fuel efficiency, and operating costs. Total operating cost is a big factor. I like to compare current motors to the old long stroke dodge /6 developed around 1960 to replace the obsolete L head six.

Howard

 

Towing capacity has already been mentioned by Sweers to be around 6,800 lbs. which IMHO is more than enough for a mid sizer... anything more needed and one should step up to a full size. Fuel efficiency was, in Toyota's words, "their main concern aside from QDR" so I would expect a good jump if not class leading mpg numbers. As for operating costs, its the main reason I stay with Toyota, their QDR is their overall main keystone... but time with tell obviously!

 

Since you brought up the 3.0L VR-4, I dynoed my 94 Supra turbo 6-speed and it made 290 lb ft. torque to the wheels when it was all stock. That's similar to the V8 M3 torque at the crank. The new 3.5L won't sniff that doesn't matter how high they make the compression in NA form.

Yes I do think the new engine will have worse performance in SOME areas, not all. The 3.5L will probably be better all around and I must admit I am excited to try it out.

Why did the 2011-2014 Tundra offer dual VVTi 1GR?

 

Because Toyota does have a few fleet sales and needed a cheap V6 to jam in their full sized

Ford throws the 3.5 L naturally aspirated engine in their F150, but no one actually buys the truck in that configuration except for companies looking for the cheapest vehicle with an 8 foot box. Same with that Chevy 4.3 L everyone in here seems so hot about. Put that in the full sized truck and try to tow and you'll feel x10 worse than a loaded Tacoma. V6 NA full sized trucks are just cheap fleet trucks and rarely are sold to private hands because they flat out suck compared to the V8 offerings and the mileage isn't much different either.

 

That isn't true about the 4.3 liter. They are putting the V6 in crew cabs and higher trims. Gets customers in a nice-looking Silverado that doesn't cost $45k.

 

Looking at this it just shows they clearly beat the Tacoma, weighted or not. Look at the 2nd comparison the GM twins were carrying 300+ lbs more and still higher speed! So HP matters obviously. Now don't get me wrong I love my truck I just don't get your logic.

 

Why didn't they just keep the regular 1gr in there like they had from 07-10? Doesn't make "financial sense" to start shipping in motors from Japan for a truck that can't even compete in full size sales. Which gets back to the question of why the Tacoma was never offered with the dual. And I still believe it's so that they can say the new 3.5L blows away the old Tacoma power numbers.

 

The GMs are carrying more weight in the bed and weigh more to begin with and got through the 1/4 mile at about the same time but with a higher trap speed. Tacomas low end torque helped it off the line but the higher HP helped the GMs once they got going. This is a completely moronic test and shouldn't be taken seriously. But I think the GMs win. Let's see emergency stopping distance loaded instead but they probably didn't do that.

 

The 4.3 V6 this year is getting more HP and torque than the older 4.8 liter. Looks like a good engine.

 

I meant no one as in few. If you REALLY want a V6 crew cab silverado be my guest.

The 5.3 L in the GM feels slow. GM really sucks at gearing or something because when I test drove a 2015 Silverado it felt slow as ass compared to the F150 with it's 5.0 L V8. I can't imagine how bad the Silverado V6 in a crew cab must drag it's butt. Probably about as bad as a I4 Tacoma.

 

That's one thing I'll give you. I never understood why the Tacoma never moved off to the Dual VVT-i version. It probably had something to do with there being nothing on the market that the Tacoma needed to compete with but who really knows. I'm not going to stick on my tinfoil hat to figure out that one.

 

I suppose you could calculate power to weight and get a good idea of how the truck would feel. The new F-150, as we all know, is light.

 

Too much high strength steel on the panels, where it doesn't count, unlike the GM commercial says. I still have Chevy buddies who think the Ford has an aluminum frame due to that commercial . People will believe anything these days.

The slowest and least powerful feeling truck I drove out of Ram 1500 (Diesel and 5.7 L), GM 1500's (5.3 L), and the Ford F150 (both 5.0 L NA and 3.5 L Ecoboost) was the GM by a long shot. I've drove the 2014 F150 5.0 L as well, even that truck with all the extra weight felt better than the GM. Anyways, my point is that I can't even imagine how bad the Silverado must drive in the crew cab configuration with a V6 after that experience.

 

Most reviews I have seen online have given praise to the V6. Some people saying it feels no different than a V8. More HP and torque than the old 4.8 liter v8. That is why they dropped the 4.8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q80Dp11CtV4