The American automotive landscape was considerably different back in 2000. The SUV boom had yet to show signs of weakening, the best selling vehicles in the U.S. were full-size pickup trucks, and trucks were the only area in which Detroit manufacturers were profitable.
Ford’s F-150 ruled the roost, followed closely by Chevy’s Silverado and the Dodge Ram. Toyota meanwhile was busy eating the American manufacturer’s breakfast, lunch and dinner on the car side of the house and the company was flush in black ink. Its profits were strong. But when you’re number one, there’s no room for growth, unless you shift your attention to a different market.
The only market left for Toyota to conquer was full-size pickup trucks. In 1999, as a 2000 model, Toyota introduced the Tundra, in an effort to do just that. In continual production since then, there have been but two generations of Tundra to date.