Toyota Tundra locked in for Australia, due in showrooms next month, price announced soon

The Toyota Tundra pick-up from the US has finally been given the green light after a real-world trial of 200 vehicles in the hands of VIP customers over the past 12 months.

It means Australia’s US pick-up market now mirrors the four-way battle between the titans of the segment in North America: Ram, Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota.

Although the approval of the Toyota Tundra was considered by some in the car industry to be a formality, it did in fact require approvals from the highest levels of Toyota in the US and Japan.

Toyota has never before allowed a third party to pull apart and rebuild one of its vehicles on such a massive scale – to the same factory quality standards.

Because Toyota is risk averse, it took three times longer to approve the massive engineering program – six years rather than two years – compared to its US pick-up rivals.

The local engineering and remanufacturing work was carried out by the Walkinshaw Automotive Group, the former outfit behind Holden Special Vehicles – which also remanufactures Ram and Chevrolet pick-ups on behalf of those brands.

Here is the speech from Toyota Australia sales and marketing boss Sean Hanley announcing the confirmation of the Toyota Tundra for sale locally:

I am pleased to announce that Tundra is go!

Our parent company (in Japan) has given Toyota Australia official approval to launch Tundra to retail customers in Australia.

As a result, Tundra Limited will go on sale in mid-November.

That will be a momentous day for Toyota.

Not just in Australia, but also for our US affiliate, our parent company (in Japan) and, of course, our local partner, the Walkinshaw Automotive Group.

We have worked closely with all three on the re-engineering program to achieve the required Toyota quality standards, and Walkinshaw will also manufacture the vehicles at their production facility in Melbourne. 

The go-ahead for this program is the culmination of an extensive development project that has taken six years.

It confirms that right-hand-drive Tundra meets Toyota’s global standards for quality, durability and reliability.

These are the same standards that apply to vehicles produced 100-per-cent in the Toyota ecosystem.

This announcement marks the first time, anywhere in the world, that we at Toyota have:

• Taken a vehicle built in a country that’s not Japan…
• Exported it to a third country…
• Re-engineered it with a local partner…
• Undertaken final assembly in a non-Toyota factory…
• And sold it as a 100 per cent Toyota-branded vehicle.

If there’s one message I want to emphasise above all others, it’s this. Anyone who refers to the right-hand-drive Tundra as a mere “conversion” is massively under-calling what has been achieved.

In this case, it’s actually a misleading word. That’s because this vehicle sets a new benchmark for re-engineering a full-sized pick-up truck. Indeed, any vehicle from left-hand drive to right-hand drive.

We have incorporated the high-performance i-FORCE MAX (hybrid) powertrain, the highly rigid GA-F chassis, the five-link rear suspension, and … spacious interior into a full-sized pick-up ideally suited for towing large boats, caravans or horse floats.

Many of the new “run-stop-turn” components are original equipment parts from other Toyota 4WD vehicles, including the 300 Series LandCruiser and Lexus LX.

And other key components have been developed for right-hand-drive by the original supplier for the American vehicle.

It’s clear, therefore, that the new Tundra is far more than a simple right-hand-drive conversion.

We’ve also validated its performance and quality by placing hundreds of vehicles with customers who have put Tundra through its paces and provided feedback.

The result is a vehicle that absolutely meets the needs of Australians with Toyota’s renowned quality standards.

But we’re not stopping there.

Today, I can also announce that – from next year – we’ll expand the Tundra line-up by introducing a Platinum grade with even higher (specifications).

It will appeal to buyers looking for a full-size pick-up-truck with upscale comfort.

For Toyota, the vital engineering and final manufacturing by Walkinshaw has been instrumental in ensuring Tundra is at OEM quality.”