Toyota 84 Tacoma TRD ProRunner Could Take On Any Desert of the World Tomorrow

Whereas the GR86 was supposed to be a nod to old Celica racers and a tribute to the upcoming return of the WRC competition on American soil, the Tacoma is intended as a gift to "desert racing fans worldwide." On top of that, it is meant to honor the collaboration between Toyota, the Legacy Motor Club, and driver Jimmie Johnson.

The race truck concept is based on the two-door XtraCab model of the range, on which engineers slapped TRD Pro hardware. All the changes were made in a bid to allow the truck to compete in the Stock Mid-Size off-road race class.

That means first and foremost a suspension system meant to impress. It comprises TRD-tweaked FOX Quick Switch 3 (QS3) internal bypass shocks and TRD upper control arms. This gear should make the truck very good at going over harsh terrain, but in a bid to make sure nothing harms the underside (the front end, transmission, and transaxle) of the Tacoma, Toyota fitted skid plates in there.

On the interior the stock Tacoma was modified to accommodate a custom roll cage and IsoDynamic Performance seats with multipoint race harnesses. The bed at the back is where a fuel cell and a spare tire carrier were installed. The stock tailgate of the truck is replaced by a net in a bid to cut back on overall weight.

The body of the #84 Tacoma TRD ProRunner Race Concept is covered in an exclusive color called Mudbath, over which matte black graphics have been splashed. The design incorporates paint schemes by Jimmie Johnson himself, and mixes those with yellow, orange and red stripes, the classic TRD layout for such builds.

As a touch of class, chrome has been retained on the mirrors and door handles. There is also an ARB Sport Bar with custom lighting installed to ensure better visibility. The wheels of the truck, whose size was not disclosed, comes in brushed aluminum and they wear BFGoodrich tires.

Toyota does not specifically say if this truck will eventually be raced for real in some desert, but it sure looks ready to do so as soon as tomorrow. On top of it all, Toyota itself stated something when presenting the build that really got us thinking: the truck is a "vision of what a dedicated race truck could look like within the Tacoma lineup." So, fingers crossed, because you never know.