Toyota’s toughened-up TRD Pro trucks sure have made their mark, but one thing that’s always been missing was a proper answer to the F-150 Raptor. Looks like that’s about to change in the not-too-distant future.
Toyota has flirted with the idea of a hardcore-hardcore Tundra before, hinting as much with the Desert Chase concept from 2021, pictured here. But last week, Toyota filed a patent for the “TRD Hammer” name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It’s thin on the exact details, and a model isn’t explicitly named, but it specifies Toyota is the applicant and that the trademark is for “automobiles and structural parts.”
Here’s where it gets interesting. Toyota has flirted with the idea of a hardcore-hardcore Tundra before, such as the Tundra Desert Chase concept pictured throughout. the automaker out a survey to current Tundra owners, seeking input for potential names for a “high-performance truck package” with “an engineered long-travel suspension and 37″ all-terrain tires” along with “unique wide fenders, high-clearance bumpers, and a powerful engine.” And would you look at that — TRD Hammer was among that list of names.
Last week’s trademark goes hand-in-hand with a Tundra test mule that’s been spied running around lately. Toyota is obviously keeping their cards close to their chest, having made no official announcement just yet, but we can pick out the details outlined in Toyota’s survey. The widened fenders, the steel bumpers, and the beefed-up suspension are all there.
We can’t imagine Toyota stuffing a V8 into this thing, but we imagine a hardcore Tundra aimed at the F-150 Raptor and Ram TRX will be here sooner rather than later.
Managing Editor
Nick has more than a decade of experience shooting and writing about cars, and as a journalism grad, he's a staunch believer of the Oxford Comma despite what the Canadian Press says. He’s a passionate photographer and loves exploring the open road in anything he gets his hands on.
