Why Toyota Is Building Vastly Different Vehicles On The Same Platform

Sharing an article that came into my mail that I found interesting.
Explains why Toyota went to one platform for 5 vehicles, and shows how they modified the frame (pictures) for each vehicle.

https://www.theautopian.com/why-toyota-is-building-vastly-different-vehicles-on-the-same-platform/

Tacoma Chief Engineer Sheldon Brown
"It was an existential crisis [for] the company” as pressure mounted to meet global Corporate Average Fuel Economy requirements (CAFE, as it’s called stateside). “We had to make sure we [developed our body-on-frame vehicles] in a way that was smart,” he told me, with a focus on minimizing total investment, which the company could need for electrification during these rather uncertain times where emissions policies are rapidly changing. “If we’re going to make this work, we need to make this as efficient as possible,” he told me about Toyota’s body-on-frame strategy..

 

The TNGA has been in the works for years, and part of the reason a few models got long in the tooth.

This will save them a lot of $ and efficiency by having more global parts across models. As a consumer, it should make getting parts long-term easier as well.

The LC and 4R are so similar, I'm a bit surprised they didn't differentiate them more.

 

Lots of manufacturers use platform sharing. It's hardly a new concept. For all the reasons stated above.

 

From the linked article these pictures show a few ways Toyota modded the common frame to meet the needs of the different vehicles.
Pictures show
Joined section of different thickness metal.
Overlapping
Patches

 

Auto manufacturers have been platform sharing for ages. You’d be surprised how many vehicles are cousins.

 

Sure. But this thread is about Toyota trucks and SUV's body on frame. I find this transition very interesting and the reason I shared the article.

If I am a shareholder this is great news. Toyota stock price has responded.
If I am a potential owner of one of the smaller vehicles ...ok. ...The way I see it, I am getting a Tundra/Sequoia frame basically. One of the reasons the Tacoma Cab was able to be increased in size.
If I am a potential owner of of the larger vehicles....hmmm ....

The Parts sharing in theory yes. Well its been 2 years. My understanding is parts are not cheaper and if anything the opposite so far.

 

That is some thin walled steel, no wonder they rust away in the snowbelt

 

TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) has multiple different platforms...it all started in 2015 with the 4th Generation Toyota Prius...

In this specific example, it is the F Platform that is being used across all body-on-frame vehicles, on both the Toyota & Lexus sides...

From an interview with Mike Sweers that I watched, there were 42 configurations that needed to be dumbed down to what we see now...this helps with economies of scale...

The cost of development for something like this is north of $2,000,000,000...

Notice how the 2025 4Runner had its wheelbase stretched to 112.2 from 109.8...that means there are at least 5 body-on-frame vehicles utilizing the same frame...LC 300, LX 600, GX 550, Land Cruiser, & now 4Runner...

 

Next Tundra will be unibody. Or polymer frame.

 

Before TNGA, a similar concept was already being executed in the K platform, which was pretty much based off the camry. From there you had multiple variations stemming from it, like the avalon, highlander, rav4, etc.

The concept of the TNGA is similar and has now spread to their truck line.

This is why you see so many similar design elements across different models. TNGA K, which is the current platform for the camry, sienna , highlander, rav4 etc all have distinct cosmetic features that make it obvious they're of the same platform.

Parts are also now more universally shared and cost effective for both manufucturer and consumer.

 

Yup...TNGA started nearly a decade ago...

TNGA-K is the most shared platform...

TNGA-B
TNGA-C
TNGA-F
TNGA-K
TNGA-L
e-TNGA

 

Yep, and it is a good thing from my perspective. The LC in many peoples view has the perfect wheelbase, other models are now receiving some trickle down in size and features from their flagship for both size and strength. Tundra dumped springs (and man, the ride in 3rd gen is so much better), etc.

My biggest "issue" with the Land Cruiser is very long-term support for parts. Having owned a # of Cruisers, I can say it becomes tough as they age. There is already a thread on Mud with 200 series parts that are NLA. With more similarities across platforms, Toyota has more incentive to continue parts support as the market will support larger batch production. There will also be more parts across junk yards too.

I can't say I'm happy with Toyota's approach on everything, but TNGA-F seems to be a homerun.

 

I thought they had launched a Heritage Program for some of the older Land Cruiser...?

I know that is true of the MKIV Supra...

But yes, I've always wanted to win a big lottery prize and stock up on parts for vehicles that I know will last a while...I'm crazy...

 

Nope. This is not how business work. Unless they are mandated by government to prolong parts support, they will NLA as soon as in compliance with the laws.

In my experience with the cars built on the same platform, the variation is significant enough to be locked to pretty much your model and model year.

 

They did launch a Heritage program, but parts were pretty limited. I would have loved new oem exhaust manifolds for the 2F, bit it did not make the list. On top of that, they did a poor job rolling it out to dealers so ordering was a PITA.

 

That will be true for many parts for sure, but more parts will be identical. This helps Toyota manage parts and lower costs (for them).