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Goodsprings, Nevada
The historic mining town of Goodsprings was once the watering hole of dusty miners of the Wild West, and where Clark Gable drowned his sorrows in the “world famous” Pioneer Saloon. Today, the 1.5-mile-square town, with a scant population of 229 at the time of the last census, is a dynamite jumping-off point for off-road trail riding; in fact, some of the nearby tracks are used for sanctioned desert races.
Located 20 miles south of Las Vegas, this was the perfect location for Toyota to use as the watering hole for the recent media drive to demonstrate the prowess of its all-new 2015 TRD Pro “extreme off-road” package that upgrades the existing architecture of the mid-sized Tacoma, the full-sized Tundra, and the mid-sized 4Runner SUV.
It comes at a time that is not only the celebration of 35 years of TRD and Toyota’s storied off-road racing victories in the grueling Baja 500 and Baja 1000, but heralds the continuing evolution of Toyota’s high-tech components for modern-day heroes of the Wild West who love to play in the dust, as well as serious desert racers. As a part of celebrating its heritage, Toyota brought along the legendary Ivan “Ironman” Stewart, who joined the Toyota factory team in 1983 and, with 82 victories under his belt, remains the only person to win the Baja 1000 overall as a solo driver.
Many skeptics think the TRD Pro Series has come to market as a direct response to the off-road-centric half-tons like the Ford SVT Raptor, Chevy Silverado Reaper, and Nissan Frontier Desert Runner. The truth of the matter however, is that Toyota has long standing roots in off-road and the TRO Pro Series serves as the next step in Toyota’s evolution of off-road-specific product offerings.
When viewed in the proper context, it’s clear that the TRD Pro Series continues what has been a long line of TRD packages for Toyota trucks, dating back to 1988, when the first off-road package was introduced for Toyota Pickups. Since then, TRD has been an in-house engine and chassis developer for Toyota racing activities and successes around the globe. These racing efforts significantly help the development of products that find their way on street trucks for consumers.
Serious Specs For Serious Off-Roaders
Toyota says the new factory-installed TRD Pro Series is aimed squarely at off-roading enthusiasts who push their trucks and SUVs to the limit. Available on 4×4 models of Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner, all TRD Pro Series vehicles will be equipped with TRD Bilstein shocks with remote reservoirs; TRD-tuned front springs; a unique front grille with “TOYOTA” badging that pays tribute to early iconic Toyota models; TRD floor mats; TRD shift knobs; and black wheels. A trio of new paint colors include the sizzling-orange Inferno, Black, and Super White.
Tundra Gets Hotted Up
In addition to the shared features, Tundra TRD Pro gets the following exclusive equipment: TRD front skid plate; TRD-tuned springs with two-inches of lift for the front; decreased spring rate to improve ride quality over harsh terrain; all-black 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin off-road tires designed exclusively for Tundra; TRD dual exhaust system; TRD Pro quarter panel bed stamping; unique interior seat color with red stitching; and unique instrument panel ornament insert.
Taco Supreme
Boasting cred as the best-selling compact pickup in the industry, Tacoma TRD Pro beefs up the chops of this mid-sizer by adding TRD-tuned springs with two-inches of lift for the front; decreased spring rate; 16-inch black beadlock-style wheels; BFGoodrich All-Terrain LT265/75R16 tires; TRD Exhaust; and a black TRD Pro badge.
Rock Star 4Runner
Enhancing its rock-crawling prowess, 4Runner TRD Pro is exclusively-equipped with a TRD front skid plate; one-inch lift for the front of the vehicle and one-inch of additional wheel travel; all-new 17-inch TRD all-black alloy wheels with P265/70R17 Terra Grappler Tires; black TRD Pro badges; and black front and rear lower bumper accents.
The Drive
We started our drive on the asphalt in the 2015 Tacoma 4×4 TRD Pro on a route that included city streets and the bustling freeways of Vegas, grabbing an Inferno-colored Taco to pump up the jam. Outside, the front end has a carved hoodline, a unique front grille with “TOYOTA” badging and a black TRD Pro badge that gives the truck an I-may-be-small-but-I-won’t-be-ignored grin.
Over the course of the drive day, we found that what we already knew was reinforced – each of the vehicles has its own personality, with pros and cons over rough terrain as a result of weight and wheelbase. The Tacoma is lighter on its feet off-road than the Tundra, while the 4Runner is noticeably tough and capable maintaining a desert-warrior feel to its overall handling. We were pleased with every part of the package that amps performance and comfort both on-and off-road, but were the most impressed by the magic at the hands of the suspension.
The surprise hit of the day was the superb handling of the Tundra, with its longer wheelbase and weight that allows it to stretch its legs at speed. Our only complaint is slower steering response on all models, at times, and some Toyota traction control electronics that interfere with quick transitions from braking to throttle. We learned from Ivan Stewart and Toyota engineers that these issues can be mitigated for those who race by pulling a few fuses.
Safety
Standard on all models is Toyota’s Star Safety System, which includes Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), and Smart Stop brake override technology (SST). Also included are three-point seatbelts for all seats, front seat-mounted side airbags, roll-sensing side curtain airbags (including a cutoff switch), and a front advanced dual-stage airbag system. 
A front passenger cutoff switch is standard on Access Cab models. Access and Double Cabs have standard active headrests for front seats, which move up and forward almost instantly in the event of certain rear end collisions to help reduce the distance between the occupant’s head and the headrest.
Toyota TRD History
Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Toyota Racing Development (TRD) has lived by its mission “to deliver an authentic high performance experience by adding value to create passion and enthusiasm.” Toyota’s success with a wide variety of motorsports racing both on and off-road has led to the development of high-quality performance parts and accessories that are available as standalone parts or packages through dealers, for both cars and trucks.
Toyota also points out that motorsports research and development combined with the marque’s racing success at all manners of tracks has led to improved excellence, safety, and durability across its wide array of vehicles for everyday buyers and enthusiasts. These buyers and enthusiasts not only want a different look and feel to their vehicle, but they also want to play or race competitively. It also develops motorsport-derived accessories for Toyota, Lexus and Scion street cars and trucks. TRD’s United States operations were first established in 1979 and are headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, with an additional facility in Salisbury, North Carolina.
Other TRD Off-Road Packages
A TRD Off-Road Package is engineered to balance off-road performance and on-road handling. It is available for 4×4 V6 automatic models and provides Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) as well as Downhill Assist Control (DAC). Chassis modifications include an electronic locking rear differential, progressive-rate front springs, specially tuned Bilstein shock absorbers, a 28mm front stabilizer bar, BFGoodrich Rugged Trail tires and fog lamps. Also onboard is a locking rear differential that can be activated by a switch in the cab. An electronic rear differential is available on 4×4 models and the PreRunner.
Taking off-roading to the next level is the limited-edition Baja Series Tacoma. It is inspired by Toyota’s Baja racing truck heritage that dates back three decades, boasting numerous titles at the legendary Baja 500 and 1000. It adds BFGoodrich T/A KO tires (LT265/70R16) and bead-lock, off-road wheels with an exclusive Gun-Metal Gray finish, TRD cat-back exhaust, increased front ride height of nearly two inches and unique Baja Series graphics. The front suspension is 60mm piston Bilstein race shocks with TRD coil springs; the rear is equipped with 50mm piston shocks with a remote reservoir to increase shock oil capacity for greater heat dissipation and damping sensitivity. All shocks offer zinc plating on the bodies and increased travel which help deliver dependable off-road performance.
Original Toyota Off-Road Game Returns
You can take the TRD Pro Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner off-road by driving it online, at the Super Off-Road: TRD Pro Edition Presented by Toyota. Select your favorite TRD Pro model and you can put them to the test on truly tough, muddy, and grueling online off-road tracks. Score power-ups, challenge friends and compete to beat the leaderboard.
