Toyota loves Easter eggs, especially on its trucks: the latest ones even have the words “Badass Trucks” written in Morse code on the base of the windshield. Most have been identified, but during the new Tacoma’s first test program, we spotted two that don’t appear to have been discovered yet.
On the TRD Pro, the outline of the state of North Carolina is etched on the left front upper control arm, while California is depicted on the right arm. Sheldon Brown, Tacoma’s chief engineer, says Engine1 that these parts were designed by TRD in North Carolina and manufactured at the company’s facility in Costa Mesa, California. The pieces needed to be differentiated somehow, and someone thought that by just stamping “L” and “R” they could have a little fun.
“[TRD is] I work mainly on Sunday races, on NASCAR and all the other events that we support,” says Brown. “And they had a little bit of capacity and we said, ‘Hey, you know, we have some really cool things , I think we could collaborate and work.'”
One collaboration was these billet upper control arms, finished in this neat shade of red. You can see them clearly with the truck on the ground, but it will be difficult to spot the outlines of North Carolina and California. We only spotted them on a rolling chassis with no bodywork to hide the top surface. Maybe if you squint you can see the outlines, but to get a really good look you’ll have to remove a wheel.
If you zoom in, you can just make out the bottom of the California outline on this Tacoma Trailhunter upper control arm.
Brown says other TRD Pros, like the Sequoia, Tundra and upcoming 4Runner, have these same parts. Additionally, the new Tacoma and 4Runner Trailhunter use the same arms, but with a bronze finish and Trailhunter badges instead of the TRD logo.
The Tacoma is full of Easter eggs, and we bet there are even more than have already been discovered. It’s easy to stamp something in one room, so why not do it everywhere you can?
Toyota loves Easter eggs, especially on its trucks: the latest ones even have the words “Badass Trucks” written in Morse code on the base of the windshield. Most have been identified, but during the new Tacoma’s first test program, we spotted two that don’t appear to have been discovered yet.
On the TRD Pro, the outline of the state of North Carolina is etched on the left front upper control arm, while California is depicted on the right arm. Sheldon Brown, Tacoma’s chief engineer, says Engine1 that these parts were designed by TRD in North Carolina and manufactured at the company’s facility in Costa Mesa, California. The pieces needed to be differentiated somehow, and someone thought that by just stamping “L” and “R” they could have a little fun.
“[TRD is] I work mainly on Sunday races, on NASCAR and all the other events that we support,” says Brown. “And they had a little bit of capacity and we said, ‘Hey, you know, we have some really cool things , I think we could collaborate and work.'”
One collaboration was these billet upper control arms, finished in this neat shade of red. You can see them clearly with the truck on the ground, but it will be difficult to spot the outlines of North Carolina and California. We only spotted them on a rolling chassis with no bodywork to hide the top surface. Maybe if you squint you can see the outlines, but to get a really good look you’ll have to remove a wheel.
If you zoom in, you can just make out the bottom of the California outline on this Tacoma Trailhunter upper control arm.
Brown says other TRD Pros, like the Sequoia, Tundra and upcoming 4Runner, have these same parts. Additionally, the new Tacoma and 4Runner Trailhunter use the same arms, but with a bronze finish and Trailhunter badges instead of the TRD logo.
The Tacoma is full of Easter eggs, and we bet there are even more than have already been discovered. It’s easy to stamp something in one room, so why not do it everywhere you can?