Toyota Tundra Diesel Dually Project Truck at SEMA 2008

In the realm of full-size pickup trucks, payload and towing capacity are just as significant as Nurburgring lap times are for the Porsche and Ferrari crowd. That's what's exciting about this diesel-powered, dual rear wheel (DRW) equipped Toyota Tundra that's appearing at SEMA. Put together by Toyota Motorsports' Technical Group, the menacing, charcoal gray truck stands as an answer to those who insist that the newly-upsized Tundra is a less serious truck than the competition from Ford and Chevrolet.

Under the hood, there's an 8.0 liter inline six-cylinder turbodiesel Hino commercial truck engine. A healthy five-speed manual transmission and a Hino DRW rear end get the power to the ground and boost this stretched Tundra's capacity. 22.5-inch wheels are provided by Alcoa. Toyota didn't release specifications, but the Tundra's fifth-wheel hitch is rated at 24,000 pounds. No word on if such a truck is a serious consideration for production, or if it's just truck-guy chest-thumping.

TRD Tundra Double Cab

Designers at Toyota Racing Development present a project closer to home: the Tundra Double Cab Off-Road Concept And Trailer. Based off a standard 6.5-feet truck bed, the Tundra is a showcase of TRD products that combine to give the ability to tow a large trailer, similar to those used in motorsport but which at SEMA will show visitors a variety of products in a new light.

The Tundra's 5.7-litre V8 engine has been given the supercharged treatment, with TRD's new supercharger and integrated liquid-to-air intercooling system boosting output to 500 hp.

The principle changes to the body are the styling of more aggressive front and rear fascias as well as new five-inch wider side fenders that complement the form of the truck's accompanying 28-foot long custom Featherlite trailer. To facilitate towing, the rear also gains a trailer hitch.

Inside (the trailer), SEMA visitors can get a look at the internal workings of Toyota Racing Development technologies such as the latest TRD superchargers and limited-slip differentials, see the latest wheel designs or be shown how the Off-Road Concept Tundra was born.