At the moment, the premium pickup segment counts only one member – the GMC Canyon Denali. But, soon, the Mercedez-Benz will join forces with the Nissan to built the X-Class truck. Also, the premium branch of the Nissan – the Infiniti will introduce their champion in the premium pickup class. Therefore, this might be the perfect time for Toyota to launch Lexus Pickup Truck.
The Japanese company is planning to update the Tacoma soon, as well. That’s all fine and sound good, but the main question is – are the luxury trucks worth the price? Let’s dive in and find out what the forthcoming Lexus representative has to offer.
What Platform Will Lexus Pickup Truck Use?
One thing for sure, the upcoming Lexus Pickup Truck will use the same platform as the current Toyota Tacoma. The Japanese company won’t take any risks and spend a large amount of money on building a new structure for the Lexus pickup. Moreover, these two vehicles will probably have a very similar dimension, so Tacoma’s platform will fit perfectly.
Therefore, the third-generation of the Lexus pickup will be around 212 inches long, with a 127 inches long wheelbase. But, the company announced that the premium model would discharge the Access Cab setup. The double cabin provides more comfort, and the towing isn’t a priority of this model.
Nevertheless, the short bed will be able to fulfill any need for potential customers. However, it is hard to believe that Toyota will develop a premium truck based on its unibody platform. Almost every large SUV uses a ladder frame as the foundation. The advantages of such a platform are better safety and handling, as well as the lighter body and better fuel efficiency. Still, we can’t imagine what would Lexus Pickup look like if the company decide to use a unibody platform.
Engine Specs
Lexus Pickup Truck is part of the mid-size truck segment. So, it can’t have the engine from its SUV siblings. Instead, the pickup will probably use the same powertrain as the Toyota mentioned above Tacoma. But, the premium luxury truck must come with a powerful engine under the hood. So, the more realistic option is that the four-cylinder unit will be replaced with a V6 mill. The 3.5-liter V6 unit produces 280 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. That’s much better than the 160hp – 180 lb-ft of torque from the 4-cylinder engine.
Furthermore, the 6-speed automatic transmission will be the only option. But, the current Tacoma includes a manual gearbox as well, so it may end up in the Lexus pickup as well. On the other hand, certain rumors claim that the 2.7-liter turbodiesel mill will be one of the options, both for the Tacoma and the forthcoming Lexus.
This unit already powers the Hilux model. But, the Japanese company will have to tune it a little bit, to match US efficiency and emission standards. Also, some tweaks in the engine room expect a D-4D 2.4-liter 4-cylinder drivetrain if it becomes a backup option.
TRD Pro Package
One thing that will raise the price of Lexus Pickup Truck is the available Toyota’s TRD Pro Package. This bundle of premium features includes a setup of suspensions, shocks, and select brakes, which makes the Tacoma one of the most capable off-road models.
Still, we don’t know if the company will combine utility and luxury on the Lexus pickup. They already did it with the Land Cruiser SUV, but the Lexus truck might be just unreasonably expensive.
Lexus Pickup Truck – The Price
The price of the upcoming Lexus Pickup Truck will surpass the current version of the most expensive Tacoma, the TRD Pro model. So, is the vehicle like this worth that amount of money? Of course, you’ll get the right amount of equipment and a nicely designed cabin with the latest technology.
The exterior design will be equally striking, as well. But, what is the purpose of this pickup if the towing capacity isn’t that great? We think that this is more of a show-off truck than the useful one. Admittedly, our readers might have a different opinion, feel free to comment on what you think about the Lexus Pickup Truck.
