Few things are more thrilling for an automotive illustrator than assisting enthusiasts in envisioning the future before the camouflage is removed. That is precisely what my most recent commissioned piece for Car and Driver addresses: Toyota’s long-rumored, much awaited response to the Ford F-150 Raptor.
I wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes look at how we created this apex predator, but you can view my exclusive graphics in the complete piece at Car and Driver.
The Synopsis: Imagining a Raptor Competition
Toyota’s main off-road vehicle for many years has been the Tundra TRD Pro, but the full-size market need something more aggressive. After seeing new spy photos of a carefully camouflaged test mule and a recent USPTO trademark application for the “TRD Hammer” brand, Car and Driver assigned me the chore of removing the visual noise to reveal the fast desert runner concealed beneath.
The objective was to produce a production-ready, photorealistic version of the vehicle that strikes a compromise between harsh, Baja-inspired hardware and Toyota’s existing design language.
Removing the Camo: The Process of Design
It took more than just adding a lift package to a regular Tundra to design the TRD Hammer. It was necessary to carefully examine the engineering modifications Toyota is making to the TNGA-F platform in order to interpret the spy photos. I addressed the artwork’s important details as follows:
A Menacing, Widebody Stance: It is evident that the test mules have much wider front and rear fenders. In order to neatly accommodate the increased track width and the advanced long-travel suspension (which features stronger lower control arms and an updated panhard rod), I sculpted these bigger arches.
37-Inch Shoes: The TRD Hammer needs a lot of rubber to compete with the Raptor. The 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 tires I installed on the render immediately increased the truck’s ground clearance and gave it a powerful, planted stance.
High-Clearance Steel Bumpers: Steep approach and departure angles are necessary for high-speed off-roading. Both ends of the drawings have durable, updated steel bumpers. These give the front fascia a considerably more aggressive, purpose-built jawline in addition to exposing the improved front dampers.
Performance Venting: I incorporated useful cooling vents into the front fenders to remove heat and control airflow during harsh desert drives, as there are rumors of an enhanced i-Force Max V-6 hybrid powerplant producing more than 450 horsepower.
The Verdict
It is very satisfying to assist the automotive industry in envisioning Toyota’s next major move as the high-performance truck wars intensify. The American truck industry will face a fierce battle if the production version of the TRD Hammer looks and functions anything like our prediction.
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