Today is Halloween, October 31 - the day of All Saints' Eve. But for the North American automotive industry, it has a different meaning: we are kicking off the 2023 SEMA Show proceeds at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Already the first concepts are out and about – the world's first twin-engine Nissan 350Z, an equally bonkers Toyota 2JZ-swapped Jaguar E-Type coupe, the Hyundai Kona Jayde concept – a new breed of urban adventurer, and many more. And we're just scratching the surface – Ringborthers, for example, will present a trio of crazy builds: a 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II packing 640 hp, the BASF-enabled and Hellephant-powered 1969 Dodge Charger called 'Tusk,' plus an 'Uncaged' 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible.
However, Toyota fans might only have eyes for the company's booth. There, it will have on display stuff like the 'Retro Cruiser' and 'FJ Bruiser' if we think about specialty builds, but also a lot of accessorized versions of the N400 Tacoma - TrailHunter, TRD Pro, TRD Off-Road, and more. By the way, since the emphasis is on the latest mid-size pickup truck best-seller, let us not forget about the Tacoma Blue Beetle or the fresh one-of-a-kind concept from Toyota Calty Design Studio.
That one is the main event of the show for the Japanese automaker, as it debuts the 2024 Tacoma X-Runner Concept – the company's take on "what a 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 in a slammed street truck could look and perform like given the flexibility offered by Tacoma's TGNA-F product platform." The SEMA Show exhibit is located in the Central Hall, booth 22,200, by the way. "This display space further demonstrates Toyota's commitment to the automotive aftermarket and devotion to on-and off-pavement performance, excitement, and adventure," says the company.
In other related news, the all-new N400 Toyota Tacoma was crowned as the 2023 SEMA Best Mid-size Truck of the Year even though the competition was more challenging than ever this year when considering the all-new Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon siblings, plus the Ford Ranger and Ranger Raptor. This is the second time in three years that Toyota has received the award, along with other SEMA accolades like the 2021 Mid-size Truck of the Year for Tacoma, 2021 Sport Compact of the Year for GR Supra, and 2022 Sport Compact of the Year for GR86. This year, the company was a finalist in four different vehicle categories.
"We are proud to receive the SEMA Mid-size Truck of the Year award," said Mike Tripp, group vice president, Toyota Marketing. "The SEMA Awards celebrate the creativity and personalization that play so heavily with customers. For 2024, we have built a Tacoma for every person and every lifestyle with the flexibility to allow customers to find their adventure and push the boundaries of what's possible." By the way, it's pretty interesting to see how conventions are overturned at this year's SEMA Show – the 2024 Toyota Tacoma X-Runner Concept is a slammed sport truck while the Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute is an off-road sports car akin to Porsche's 911 Dakar or Lamborghini's Huracan Sterrato.
Update: We have the juicy details out in the open, so we switched the press releases from the general to the one dedicated to the the 2024 Tacoma X-Runner Concept. If you want the bare essentials, it has a modified i-Force 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 producing 421 horsepower with 479 lb-ft of peak torque, plus a Tundra solid axle with 4.30:1 final drive and an electronic locking differential, as well as a custom side exhaust!
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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