Toyota almost built an Avalon pickup and then killed it

Toyota's forgotten X-Runner concept was developed as a suitable rival for Australian utes such as the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore

What if her father's sensible limousine suddenly appeared with a elevator kit and a tray in the back? As early as 2003, Toyota Australia flirted with an idea that sounded strange enough to turn the Avalon sedan into a rough pickup with all-wheel drive.

It may sound unlikely today, but at that time the project was serious enough to make it into the vehicle show. The result was the Toyota X-Runner Concept, a unusual but fascinating attempt to combine limousine comfort with Ute internship and an outdoor dose.

More: There is a crazy story behind this first generation Audi A8 Ute

At first glance, it seemed like a long shot. But the X-Runner was not idle sketch. Toyota Australia developed a fully functional concept and had a real spotlight at the Melbourne and Sydney Motors shows and presented it as a potential production model. Their goal was to present the company's local research and developmental foods, while taking local rivals such as the Ford Falcon Ute and Holden Ute.

The study was based on the first generation Avalon, which was started globally in 1994 and made its Australian debut in 2000. From there, the transformation was dramatic. Avalon's traditional limousine gave way to a two-door us body with a longer back bed, expanded fender and white 19-inch wheels. User-defined bumpers and integrated sparkling plates added the off-road taste.

A sedan was Ute

Toyota Australia

To support the new body, Toyota stretched the wheelbase of the avalon by 150 mm (approx. 5.9 inches) and made space for more freight. A side tailgate contained a removable storage room, while the tray and the cabin were filled with which, which can only be described as an excess for the lifestyle of the early 2000s. Think of mountain bikes, a 17-inch plasmaper image with GPS tracking, a mini fridge and leather sports seats that were borrowed from the Toyota Supra.

But the X -rays were not just about lightning. One of his outstanding features was a suspension chair that increased the soil release to 210 mm (8.3 inches). Most of the suspension hardware came from the Lexus RX -SUV of the time, while the rear axle came from the Toyota Tarago Light Commercial van. The combination helped to solve packaging problems and gave the X-Runner more functions than the average UTE-von car-derived.

Another important advantage was the all -wheel drive that was raised from the RX again. That alone gave him one leg on the falcons and holdens in the rear wheel drive, which may appeal to buyers who needed traction in more than just one straight line.

Charged V6 performance

Things became even more interesting under the bonnet. Toyota held an charged version of its 3.0-liter V6, paired with a four-speed automatic. Thanks to the TRD blower, Power rose to 248 hp (185 kW / 252 hp) and the torque rose to 330 Nm (243 LB-FT), a noticeable jump from the naturally sucked Avalon engine, which made 200 hp and 290 Nm.

Despite the sum and a strong thrust of Toyota Australia, the X -ray structure has never made it beyond the concept stage. In view of its Australian-specific design, the market relationship was probably too limited, and the Avalon itself approached the end of its local run. It was replaced by the Toyota Aurion in 2006, which caused the X-Runner from a time when car companies were not afraid of trying out anything other than quirky sagers.

As far as the Avalon type is concerned, it continued elsewhere. The current fifth generation of the Avalon was introduced in 2018. While the large sedan was deleted from the US line-up after the model year 2022, it remains in sale in China, where it received two consecutive upgrades in 2022 and 2024.