Why no sport truck/ muscle trucks anymore?

Really wish Toyota would make a sport tundra so my FRS has a buddy. I loved my 99 Dakota R/T club cab. I added a rear sway bar to my black tundra sr5 SX 4x4. It has 255/70/18 on it. When they are worn out I’ll go 275/65/18. Plus when shocks go I’ll get bigger shocks probably bilsteins. I think these trucks have a lot of potential as a sport truck.

 

Throw a supercharger on it, and that'll be your sport truck.

 

Kinda like this?

 

To answer your question in a more serious manner: Toyota has a very very small portion of the full size truck market. In order to financially justify specialty trucks, like a Raptor or the new TRX, a company needs to be selling enough of their regular use trucks to warrant it. With the comparatively small Tundra sales (no fleet sales for one thing) there simply isn't the customer base to justify it. That's the business side of it.

If you look into the company culture side of things then it becomes even more clear. Toyota has been pushing toward "green" economical vehicles for a long time. Ask anyone to name a hybrid car and odds are the Prius will come up, as it was one of the first really successful hybrid vehicles. Now in their line up there are hybrid options everywhere. High power sport vehicles are simple not the direction the company is going. For that your best bet will be Dodge as their culture is turning toward their muscle heritage.

 

Out of the box its not likely to happen, but possible in a few years if Toyota manages to capture a larger percentage of the full size truck market. The other issue is Toyota would need to offset the negative "carbon credits" a sport trucks would bring. Toyota has signaled that its looking to capitalize on aftermarket support more, whether or not this includes performance parts is to be determined.

In the mean term check out @ViktorG 's Youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/Vikgerasim/videos

 

Toyota is going hybrid for everything new. I suspect that your best avenue would be any older 2WD and lower it. If the money is there, a supercharger and some suspension handling upgrades.

 

I think those days of the Ford Lightning, Dodge SRT10, etc sport trucks are gone. Unfortunately, I don't think Toyota will ever make a high performance model from the factory, it's just simply not their focus. In their eyes, it won't be profitable for them. For example...look at the new Supra. They didn't want to put money into R&D and partnered with BMW instead. Same with the FRS, they partnered with Subaru.

 

Love it!

 

That's what I did, and it's worked out quite well even without the supercharger.

 

Honestly, I hardly understand the point of a lowered truck.

 

Its called the "Fundra":
https://youtu.be/EMEMBD037eE

 

Lower center or gravity, and makes it easier to reach over the bedside.

 

I'm aware lots of people don't off road or haul stuff with their trucks, I also know they drink Coors.

 

I always liked the idea of a 2WD single cab short bed with a big v8. I'm sure the market is just to small. It will never be a sports car but could be fun ,still have a place to throw large items like a truck when you need it. It's a compromise. Everything is a compromise in one way or another. I don't get the hate especially in a world where most people use their trucks to haul nothing but groceries. I could easily argue a giant mud truck is just as usless as a "truck" when the back is so friggin high you can't get anything up into it an can't get into parking garages ect especially when 90 percent of folks hardly go off road with them so who's really trying to fool themselves?. To each their own.. I think there cool in their own way..

 

I feel attacked

 

IMHO, a truck without 4x4 is a car. May as well buy an El Camino and be done with it.

 

Id drive a Ute.

 

Given the climate you live in that is understandable. For somebody that lives in an area that doesn't get snow and they don't leave pavement I can see a 4x2. You might still need to tow or haul, but not need the 4WD feature. I personally wouldn't ever buy a truck that wasn't 4x4, but I can understand how some would.

 

It's still a car with a box.

 

I would totally drive an elco! There were some bad ones!

 

Tow ratings would say otherwise. If you aren't towing or using the bed, then the only thing I can think of would be if you had a medical issue that made the "up off the floor" seating of a truck better for you. I have a BIL with muscular dystrophy, and he falls into this category, though he has a crossover/SUV for the seating. I could still see it if you need the tow rating for pulling a camper from one KOA to the next.

 

So would I. I said I wouldn't buy a truck that wasn't 4x4, but I'm fine with a car not having it.

 

I would drive an El Camino too, but If I had to choose, I'd get a Hilux instead or a 1st gen Taco... it's basically the same thing.

 

I had one of those....but, life ya know....

 

Awesome pic! I could see it being in a GM calendar.

 

that is one of the best GM colors ever produced! Nice!

 

You should also be aware that a lot - if not most people like driving on road and hauling ass... I quit drinking Coors in the 70's

 

All of the truck makers are going hybrid, I remember when you could get a V10 Dodge Ram SRT. But soon all vehicles will be electric. Hold on to your Tundras, on a plus side they can go for a million miles. I can be buried in mine, especially since I have a company vehicle and only drive it on the weekends.

 

If they wanted to they could certainly go Sporty with Electric too as the pure electric cars have insane torque and can be quick as all hell but they seem determined to be Green and not Sporty with them so far.

 

I had a 94 Lightning several years back and my Fundra is so much more truck. Late model F150 RCSB Coyote are pretty wicked as a sport truck from the factory if you want something current year V8 quad cam.

Id hate if Toyota produced another batch of unicorns because I'm not ready for another truck.