A Rad New Concept Debuting At 2024 SEMA Show
Another SEMA, another awesome concept! Last year Toyota teased us with the revival of the X-Runner. This year, they gave us a Baja-ready TRD ProRunner! This truck takes bits and pieces from the Tacomas line up ultimately resulting in the ultimate go-fast desert racer!
Let’s break it down.
Concept Trim Details
The TRD ProRunner Race Concept takes an ordinary TRD PreRunner trim and turns the dial WAY up, to make it Baja-ready!
“We started this project with a vision to showcase the performance, capability, and versatility of the new Tacoma”,
said Paul Doleshal, group manager of motorsports, Toyota Motor North America. “The #84 Tacoma TRD ProRunner
Race Concept is a vision of what a dedicated race truck could look like within the Tacoma lineup, incorporating the
Baja-inspired engineering and high-speed racing elements of TRD Pro with the iconic XtraCab configuration.”
The truck’s livery, designed by Kyle Williams, combines vintage and modern elements in a standout look. Its base coat is Toyota’s new TRD Pro “exclusive” Mudbath color. This awesome new color POPS with a matte black graphic inspired by Jimmie Johnson’s iconic paint schemes, along with the famous TRD yellow, orange, and red stripes, paying tribute to Baja legend Ivan “Ironman” Stewart and Toyota’s off-road racing history.
The retro vibes keep hitting too with chrome side mirrors and door handles, an ARB Sport Bar from the Trailhunter with Rigid Lighting, and brushed aluminum-finished TRD Pro wheels wrapped in some beefy BFGoodrich tires.
We will dive into all the PRO features next…
“The TRD ProRunner Race Concept represents a key achievement in Toyota’s partnership with Legacy Motor Club,
and highlights Jimmie’s legacy, by connecting his history with Toyota’s extensive off-road racing tradition,” stated Mike Tripp group vice president of Toyota Division Marketing at Toyota Motor North America. “This concept build
also demonstrates the excitement, versatility, and capability of the Tacoma platform.”
What Makes It “Pro”?
It started with the 2025 Tacoma TRD Pro’s high-performance components and merged them with the PreRunner XtraCab design. You can see where it is going already right?
Toyota’s Service Parts and Accessories Development team replaced the OEM Bilsteins by incorporating TRD Pro’s FOX QS3 Internal Bypass shocks. These shows have 2.5-inch aluminum housings and remote reservoirs in the rear.
They also added TRD Upper Control Arms along with full skid plates up underneath. They went a bit further with protection than on the TRD Pro by protecting parts like the front end, transmission, and rear transaxle.
A custom roll cage and multipoint harnesses were also added inside to keep the drive safe while sitting in the Pro’s Cockpit Red IsoDynamic Performance seats. This is the perfect setup for these seats since the XtraCab doesn’t have rear seating. In the bed, you’ll find an off-road fuel cell along with a bed-mounted spare tire carrier holding a BFG spare.
They Should Build This Asap…
Uh…YEAH, they should! I’m honestly pretty excited that they made this concept truck because part of me has wanted to do something very similar ever since the TRD PreRunner announced that it was returning.
I thought that putting ISO Dynamic Seats into this single-cab setup would be awesome. I’d fully glass mine and also put some pretty stout long travel suspension underneath. Toyota has piqued my interest in making that vision become a reality, and I how they make this or a more OEM appropriate version in the future for us enthusiasts.
Final Thoughts
I hope that this just isn’t another concept that never becomes a reality. Like I said in the beginning, Toyota teased us last year. While I’d love to see both of these come to reality, I’m not sure if they will ever do it – sadly. I know these concepts are to get a pulse check on their audience, and they do that well! However, most of the time, the only light these vehicles see, is that of Central Hall at SEMA in Las Vegas…
Would you buy it if they made a production version? Let us know in the comments below!
My YouTube Breakdown
