Toyota waded into the full-size truck market in 1993 with the T-100 pickup, a half-hearted effort at a large truck that was so far out of step with what consumers wanted that it even offered a four-cylinder option. The T-100 was supplanted by the first-generation Tundra in 2000, a velvet fist in an iron glove that was vastly improved over its predecessor in every way, and even offered an optional V8, but still retained the original’s unflagging, go-for-the-bronze streak. When it came time to introduce a new Tundra, Toyota knew that they had used all their mulligans. The redesigned Tundra had to, through sheer brawn, scare the socks off of General Motors, make Ford reach for the Excedrin, and deliver on the promises of convenience and durability made to prospective buyers who were willing to put their money where Toyota’s mouth was.
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