Toyota Takes You Places At SEMA 2018

From Supras, a Pizza-making Tundra, Corollas, and Trucks, Toyota Brings Those Places to Life

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Oct 30, 2018, 13:20 ET

PLANO, Texas, Oct. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota's suite of vehicles on display at the 2018 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show pays tribute to the heritage of the Toyota Supra, the launch of the 2019 Corolla Hatchback, the latest TRD Pro trucks, and a very special hydrogen fuel cell-powered Tundra that robotically makes pizza.

Toyota collaborated with its Plano, Texas, neighbor, Pizza Hut, and Nachi Robotic Systems to create an automated pizza-making vehicle. The Tundra PIE Pro is built to run entirely on a hydrogen fuel cell electric power unit adapted from the Toyota Mirai, which both drives the vehicle forward and powers the self-contained “Kitchen” built into the truck’s bed.

Part of Toyota’s Battle of the Shops, Latino builder Julio Ixta and SoCal Kustomz used their expertise in restoring classic muscle cars and 4x4s, as well as their custom fabrication experience, to create a modified Corolla Hatchback with a hot rod attitude. The car incorporates custom pipe work and a nitrous oxide injection system under the hood, as well as an exterior graphics scheme inspired by “The Fast and the Furious” film.

Part of Toyota’s Battle of the Shops, Latino builder Alex Molina and Muscle Tuner Automotive built a tribute to the AE86 Corolla. This car sports a custom graphics scheme with visual cues taken from that classic car, in addition to performance upgrades that include a prototype suspension and nitrous oxide injection and hand-made aluminum aero components.

Toyota Racing Development worked with Papadakis Racing to adapt the all-new 2019 Corolla Hatchback to Formula Drift. The Formula Drift Corolla, which campaigned in the 2018 Formula Drift season—placing second overall—features a rear-wheel-drive conversion, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, full race suspension and interior, and a custom widebody kit crafted from carbon fiber.

Reaching millions of automotive enthusiasts worldwide through its various media platforms, Super Street is a barometer for what’s cool on the automotive scene. This Corolla Hatchback was built with the Tokyo Auto Salon in mind, and it features Japanese-market upgrades that have been adapted to the brand-new 2019 Hatchback model. It is also spec’d for occasional track use featuring subtle customizations focused on retaining the car’s factory comfort, with reclining, heated bucket seats and a full Pioneer audio system.

Best known for its “Gymkhana” series of stunt-driving videos featuring rally racer Ken Block, Hoonigan took its 2019 Corolla Hatchback in an unexpected direction. They built their Hatchback into a chase vehicle for high-end video production, then added a rally-racing twist. This car features a camera system incorporatingthe latest cutting-edge gear to capture stunning motion video. The system is modular and can be removed and packed into the car itself, which may then be driven from assignment.

Toyota teamed up with Academy Award-winning actor and director Kevin Costner to build the ultimate outdoor adventure Tundra. Based on a Platinum-trim truck, Costner’s Tundra features fully fabricated steel bumpers front and rear, heavy duty winches, custom auxiliary lighting, 35-inch tires, and a 4.5-inch lift using Fox coilovers. This Tundra has already been tested in the field, accompanying its owner to on-location filming and camping excursions.

Papadakis Racing modified a 2019 Corolla Hatchback to compete in the Formula DRIFT Pro series. The car was torn down to a bare chassis and the drivetrain was converted from front- to rear-wheel drive, the chassis’ center section cut apart and rebuilt to accept the transmission and driveline. The car on display is a clone of the Pro drift car; a Drift demonstration vehicle that underwent the same build process, engine tuned to 850hp, and features an “old school meets new school” TRD-Blue Flame livery.

"The theme for SEMA 2018 is our call to action — 'Let's Go Places,'" said Ed Laukes, Group Vice President – Toyota Division Marketing. "This year we're definitely going places with the introduction of the all-new 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback and the latest TRD Pro trucks. We're also taking a look back at the history of the Toyota Supra up through our state-of-the-art Supra race cars on display in the booth. And no one will soon forget the pizza-making Tundra PIE Pro!"

Highlights of this year's SEMA display include:

TUNDRA PIE PRO HYDROGEN FUEL-CELL
Everyone's heard of pizza delivery, but the hydrogen fuel cell electric-powered Tundra PIE Pro takes the concept to another level. It is one Toyota truck that takes the party wherever it goes with virtually no carbon footprint—leaving only water vapor emissions and delicious Pizza Hut pizza in its wake. Powered by a Toyota Mirai powertrain and converted to FWD, this Tundra can power itself and the entire bed-mounted kitchen via its hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain. Two robotic arms bake, cut, box and deliver the pizza.

KEVIN COSTNER'S CUSTOM TUNDRA
Kevin Costner's custom Tundra Platinum is a truck that was built to conquer the great outdoors. The Tundra has been outfitted with an array of custom equipment to tailor its use to Mr. Costner's passion for nature and active outdoor lifestyle.

CUSTOM COROLLA BUILDS
To introduce the 2019 Corolla Hatchback to the performance aftermarket, Toyota launched a Battle of the Shops to see who could build the best, most unique custom version of the new car. Two builders answered the call: well-known Latino builders Julio Ixta of SoCal Kustomz, and Alex Molina of Muscle Tuner Auto. Two additional builds will also be present, a time attack-inspired entry by automotive media network Super Street, and a "Russian Arm" camera car by the rally racers at Hoonigan.

PAPADAKIS DRIFT DEMO COROLLA
The TRD/Papadakis Racing Corolla Hatchback was inspired by, and built for, Formula Drift competition. This 2019 Corolla Hatchback features a full rear-wheel-drive conversion, a custom suspension built from scratch, and a fire-breathing turbo engine pushing more than 1,000 horsepower. The car on display is a clone of the professional drift car that won in its first-ever outing in Long Beach, Calif., and took second place in the 2018 Formula Drift Pro rankings.

TOYOTA SUPRA IN MOTORSPORTS
Toyota's SEMA 2018 display celebrates the return of Toyota's most iconic performance car with race-prepared renditions of the upcoming fifth generation Supra. Toyota will campaign a Supra-bodied car in next year's NASCAR Xfinity Series, and it will be parked next to what may be the most extreme new Supra to date—the Supra GTE racing concept introduced earlier this year at the Geneva International Motor Show. The car is making its North American debut at this year's SEMA show.

TOYOTA SUPRA, MARKS 1-4
In support of Supra's return to the racetrack and the street, a display of classic Supras—featuring generations one through four, all in white—will be parked at the 2018 SEMA booth. The pristine assembly will be accompanied by eight modified examples displayed on the outdoor patio, celebrating a die-hard enthusiast following that endures to this day.

NEXT GENERATION TRD PRO TACOMA, TUNDRA, 4RUNNER
Six Toyota trucks will be present in the 2018 booth in support of automotive enthusiasts of a different stripe. The new 2019 TRD Pro Series trucks—Tacoma, Tundra, and 4Runner— will be parked alongside three SR5 models equipped with TRD parts. They will be displayed adjacent to a comprehensive TRD parts wall designed to allow owners to customize their own Toyota trucks. They will be joined by the multi-championship-winning Baja race truck driven by off-road legend Ivan "Ironman" Stewart.

Rutledge Wood—The NBC Sports NASCAR Analyst and self-professed Supra geek returns for the seventh year running to co-host the Toyota SEMA Press Conference with Group Vice President – Toyota Division Marketing, Ed Laukes.

The entire collection of vehicles can be seen in the Toyota display booth (#24800) in Central Hall and the adjoining Patio Annex at the Las Vegas Convention Center, October 30-November 2, 2018.

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 47,000 people (more than 37,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2017 – and about 87 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.

Contact:	Greg Thome, Toyota Communications [email protected] (310) 561-2875 Christine Henley, Toyota Communications [email protected] (310) 347-1536

Media Website:	http://toyotanewsroom.com
Public Website:	http://toyota.com