Julie Henne The days of using your Toyota Tacoma to pull a camper are coming to an end, thanks to Toyota’s big announcement at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas. The Japanese automaker is drawing inspiration from the current downsizing trend to give overland adventurers a Toyota Tacoma camper called the TacoZilla.
TacoZilla Is A Fresh Take On A Classic Model
Marty Schwerte, the TacoZilla’s designer, and his team drew inspiration from the Toyota campers of the 1970s but wanted to add a more modern feel. The team went with round edges over aluminum surfaces. It was designed to function as a Tacoma camper vehicle while also adding a unique style.
The first step was to take a Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport and remove the bed. The camper element actually goes below the frame to allow standing room inside. The goal was to allow people as tall as six feet to be able to walk around comfortably.
One example of just how much work went into designing the perfect Tacoma camper, consider the rear door. The design team didn’t want to take the easy route and throw a flat door onto the back of this vehicle. Instead, they ended spending over 100 hours working on the perfect door design alone. You can only imagine what kind of care and thought went into major elements of this truck’s design.
A True Custom Build
Most of the customization and support for the TacoZilla came from Complete Customs based in McKinney, Texas. They handled the paintwork, which includes a white base with vintage yellow, orange, and bronze accents.
The interior of this camper truck is reminiscent of a micro-house with flooring that resembles the teak flooring found in saunas. You’ll also find a fully functional kitchen with things like a stove, sink, and fridge. The bathroom even has a hot-water shower. The 3D-printed dining table can easily be turned into wall art when it’s not in use.
To make this camper really stand out, the design team added a large pop-up Lexan skylight to help increase natural light and add air circulation throughout the cabin. Add this to the spacious sleeping and sitting areas, and you’ll feel right at home.
Everyone Is Just Waiting For TacoZilla
The final Toyota Tacoma TacoZilla isn’t complete just yet. Before its unveiling at SEMA, everything we knew about this camper came from artist renderings. Now that the TacoZilla is going to be a full-service mico-home that offers a sleeper compartment, a kitchen, and a bathroom.
Thanks to the foundation of this camper coming from the Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport, the TacoZilla will have enough power to take off-road to find the perfect camping spots.
If you’re ready for a next-level camping experience, keep an eye on your local Toyota dealer to see when this beast will be ready to bring home.
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