Tweaked for 2005

When I first caught site of Toyota's FTX concept truck at Detroit earlier this

Toyota's Tundra is sure to get much larger, much more powerful and in so doing, much more desirable. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

year I knew something was up at the conservative automaker. The massive beast could make a Dodge Ram Heavy-Duty shrink in a wet puddle of inadequacy and anything from Ford and GM seems even more trivial in comparison. Only Nissan's appropriately named Titan looks nearly as menacing. While Toyota doesn't exactly make a habit of building exact duplicates of its concepts, unlike Dodge, from all indications the big pickup points in the direction the Japanese brand wants to take its next generation Tundra. No matter which particular styling cues are carried forward after the current model heads out to pasture, there's one thing that is definite, the truck is sure to get much larger, much more powerful and in so doing, much more desirable.

The massive Toyota FTX Concept could make a Dodge Ram Heavy-Duty shrink in a wet puddle of inadequacy. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

Until then Toyota has taken care of the latter two "muches" on the list. The 2005 Tundra boasts more horsepower in its base 4.0-liter 24-valve V6 than the old V8, at 245 compared to 240 respectively - the old 3.4-liter V6 only mustered 190 horsepower. The outgoing base engine could only manage 220 lb-ft of torque as well, while the new one makes a V8-like 283 lb-ft at 3,400 rpm.

The new V8 is also up in output, now producing a much more satisfying 282 horsepower at 5,400 rpm. While this is still less than all of the full-size pickup competition, the refinement of the Lexus-like 32-valve, double overhead camshaft 4.7-liter, featuring VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent), more than makes up for it - as does a formidable 325 lb-ft of torque at 3,400 rpm. Incidentally, the outgoing 4.7-liter made only 315 lb-ft of torque.