Four years ago, Marion was the runner-up for a Toyota Tundra plant.
The company has expressed some caution going forward, voicing concern that a more competitive pickup truck market could crimp ambitious sales goals for the Toyota Tundra.
It's putting its Toyota Tundra up against the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150 and Dodge Ram in the 25-race series kicked off in February at Daytona International Speedway.
Four years ago, Motor Trend named the Toyota Tundra the 2008 Truck of the Year, calling it one of the biggest, strongest and most capable trucks on the market.
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Pickup will further enjoy a boost with redesigned versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra and a refreshed Toyota Tundra later this year, followed by a new version of the segment leading Ford F-150 sometime during 2014.
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Toyota's 2014 Tundra pickup will come with a standard backup camera, and an optional blind-spot system that can warn a Tundra driver when a car is about to pass.
In August Toyota Motor suspended production until November at a spanking-new Tundra factory in Texas, but Toyota is confident pickup sales will rebound eventually.
And Toyota promises it is done letting the Tundra get called a "seven-eighths" truck by Ford-centric cowboys and construction workers.
But since Toyota announced the factory in 2003, Tundra market share in the San Antonio area has climbed from 2.5% to 12%--and the factory hasn't even opened yet.
Toyota is launching a re-comprised Tundra.
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And now, feeling its corporate oats, Toyota wants to make another concerted run at pickups with the new Tundra.
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Toyota will be giving away several different models including the Prius, Tacoma, Tundra, Highlander Hybrid, Sienna and Sienna Mobility.
But for an also-ran brand in pickups, taking the wraps off the new Tundra in Chicago will be only the first mile on a challenging road for Toyota.
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The new Tundra is said to be so big (specs haven't been released yet) that Toyota researchers had to measure hundreds of garages to make sure the biggest version, which will have ample storage behind its second row of seats, will fit.
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