Toyota's Tacozilla to Debut at SEMA Next Week

Toyota has been developing a concept truck based on the 1970's Toyota Chinook, and it has been dubbed the 'Tacozilla.' They will be debuting it at SEMA Aftermarket Auto Show next week and we couldn't be more stoked to see it! We'll be sure to grab photos and details on the Tacozilla to share with you once we return from the show.

The Tacozilla is built on a 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport Crew Cab, with it's four-wheel drive, 3.5-liter V6, and six-speed manual transmission. The original Toyota camper was a marriage between Chinook, who up-fits Class C campers, and the Toyota Hilux. Toyota has used this classic as it's inspiration for this new incarnation. So far the only images of it are an artist's concept, so we'll all have to wait until it's unveiled at SEMA.

Toyota started by stripping down the Tacoma TRD Sport to it's chassis and cab. From there they had to determine what features would effectively fit in the space they had to work with. Based on the artist's sketch it appears that the sleeper hangs over the cab, but there could be another sleeping area that folds down from the seating in the back. There will most likely be some sort of cooking surface and refrigerator with seating in the main part of the camper. We'd expect a sink as well, based on the original Toyota camper. I'm sure we'll see some modern day tech with climate control, video/touchscreen features, and more.

Will this concept make it's way to production? Nearly every Tacoma I see on the roads has some level of aftermarket customization. And most of those customization include overlander features such as bed racks, roof racks, and bumpers. The popularity of overlanding is ever-increasing, so perhaps that market would justify bringing the Tacozilla to production. We sure hope so! We offer a range of products to transform your Tacoma into an overlander. Our Toyota Tacoma Overland Rack, Center Mount Front Bumper, Roof Rack, Boatside Rock Sliders, and Rear Bumper can get you well on your way to that overland build.

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