Quote:
Originally Posted by pagemaster
Explain this to me. The Tundra/Sequioa both share the 5.7/6speed. 6 speed is built in Japan. The 5.7 for 200 series is built in Japan while the the Tundra/Sequioa version comes from the USA. The 5.7 is a design that is modeled off the 4.6 Lexus LS model...not a USA design. As for features. The 200 series ups the the Sequioa in everything except for rear fold flat, interior space and tow capacity....but GVWR offsets that. Tell me how the 200 series was designed off the Sequioa platform. Everything 200 series one ups the Sequioa.
The 200 series and the Sequioa were design by different departments in Toyota Japan and USA....so they are not the same.
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The 5.7, the new 6sp and the IRS were clearly developed for the US market as they're not overed in the LC overseas...only here in the US. I'm very confident that this new drivetrain was developed for the new Tundra/Sequoia platform and then adapted to the LC/LX platform (for the US only) since you don't develop a new drivetrain for the lower selling older platform and then adapt it to the brand new platform that has much greater sales. Simple business economics.
BTW it doesn't matter where's its manufactured, it matters for which market the designs were meant to meet customer needs. Clearly a 381hp/401 ft lbs engine is not designed for the needs of customers anywhere outside NA. I say that because no other market has the need to tow large boats, horse trailers, motorcycle trailers, campers etc OR has the income to justify an engine and drivetrain of this strength OR has gas prices at our levels (although that reason is clearly changing).
That's why the new power and drivetrain designs were designed for US customers and why in the end the Sequoia will be the platform for the US and the LC will be the platform for rest of world. Same decision Toyota made with respect to the HiAce minivan and the Sienna. The HiAce and LC are fully depreciated platforms that can be offerred at much lower prices to ROW. The new Tundra/Sequoia designs have new R&D costs to be covered and are better suited to the US marketplace. That's why the Sequoia platform will be the design on which Toyota basis future products for probably a decade. Including diesel and hydrid versions while the LC/LX designs are phased out in the US IMO.
Comes down to customer needs and the US has far different needs and income than the ROW which results in different design needs.