Toyota loves an easter egg, particularly on its vehicles—the most recent even have the phrases “Badass Vans” written out in Morse code on the bottom of the windshield. Most have been recognized, however on the first-drive program for the brand new Tacoma, we noticed two that seemingly have not been found but.
On the TRD Professional, the define of the state of North Carolina is stamped on to the left-hand entrance higher management arm, whereas California is featured on the right-hand arm. Sheldon Brown, chief engineer for the Tacoma, tells Motor1 that these components have been designed by TRD in North Carolina and constructed within the firm’s facility in Costa Mesa, California. The components wanted to be differentiated aspect to aspect in a roundabout way, and somebody figured that quite merely stamping “L” and “R,” they might have a little bit of enjoyable.
“[TRD is] primarily engaged on racing on Sunday, NASCAR and all the opposite occasions we assist,” Brown explains. “And so they had a little bit little bit of capability and we mentioned, ‘Hey, you recognize, we bought some actually cool issues I believe that we may collaborate and work on.'”
One collaboration was these billet higher management arms, completed on this neat shade of purple. You possibly can see them prominently with the truck sitting on the bottom, but it surely’ll be laborious to identify the North Carolina and California outlines. We solely noticed them on a rolling chassis with no bodywork to obscure the highest floor. Perhaps in the event you squint, you possibly can see the outlines, however to get a extremely good look, you may need to take a wheel off.
Should you zoom in, you possibly can simply make out the underside of the California define on this Tacoma Trailhunter higher management arm.
Brown says different TRD Professionals, just like the Sequoia, Tundra, and coming 4Runner have these identical components. As well as, the brand new Tacoma and 4Runner Trailhunter use the identical higher arms albeit with a bronze end and Trailhunter badges as an alternative of the TRD brand.
The Tacoma is chock stuffed with easter eggs, and we guess there are but greater than have already been found. It is simple to stamp one thing into an element, so why not do it wherever you possibly can?
