I still don't see how Toyota doesn't offer the new 4.6L V8 in the new 4R. With more power and better mpg's you would think it would be a no brainer to offer it in the new 4R, but what do I know. Guess I'll just have to see and drive one for myself.....
There is still hope that Toyota will offer the 4.6L V8 in the 2010 or future 4Runner. Big changes are going on behind the scenes. About a month ago there was a major management shakeup at Toyota Japan and Toyota North America. Now more decisions will be made by the regional managers, rather being dictated by managers at the Japanese headquarters. Toyota will also start listening to it's customers and the market again. The new head of Toyota North America, Mr. Inaba, who previously ran that division from 1999-2003, had this to say:
"Toyota Motor Corp. got "a little bit lost" in its North American strategy and fell out of touch with customers and the market, its new North American chief, Yoshimi Inaba, said Monday.
After years of growth and profits at Toyota, Mr. Inaba said, elements of complacency and arrogance infiltrated the company, which prides itself on being efficient and customer-oriented as well as constantly improving. To address this, Mr. Inaba plans an overhaul of Toyota's North American operations.
"Our sense has been always that we listen to the market, we listen to customers, we listen to the dealer. That element is a little bit lost," Mr. Inaba told a group of reporters."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124813041573566631.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/business/global/05toyota.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
Also, competition from Ford's EcoBoost engines, which are turbocharged and have direct injection, will force Toyota to come out with more powerful and fuel efficient engines. As it stands now, Toyota keeps it advanced engine tech upmarket, only available on it's Lexus brand for years until it filters down to Toyota cars and trucks. I was disappointed the the upcoming 4.0L V6 didn't have direct injection like some of the Lexus sedans. After all, Ford's Ecoboost engines have both direct injection and a turbo charger. The 2011 Ford Explorer (unfortunately a unibody with IRS) will have as its base engine a 2.0L four-cylinder EcoBoost rated at about 230 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque, and an optional 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine will also be offered. The 3.5L V6 EcoBoost is currently available on the 2010 Ford Flex were it's rated at 350 hp, 355 lb-ft of torque, and EPA fuel-economy figures of 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway. According to the pdf, the 2.7L four-cylinder engine in the 2010 4Runner will have 161 hp and 184 lbs-ft of torque, while the 4.0L V6 will have 268 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque. Toyota has got to improve those horsepower and torque numbers!
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/21/ford-announces-2-0-liter-ecoboost-and-dual-clutch-gearbox-for-20/
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/21/...ust-a-b?icid=sphere_blogsmith_inpage_autoblog
