Snow Blind in Vegas: Toyota’s Snowhunter Truck and SUV Concepts Bring the Chill to SEMA
- Toyota has revealed a quintet of Snowhunter concepts at SEMA, swapping its lineup of off-road SUVs and trucks from tires to tracks.
- The concepts all wear white paint with a camouflage graphic, black accents, and plenty of auxiliary lighting.
- The SUVS and trucks are also covered in roof racks, recovery equipment, and other goodies needed for exploring the snow.
El Niño may be threatening to limit snowfall this season, but Toyota is taking no chances with this quintet of specially prepped Snowhunter concepts that it built for SEMA this year. Michigan gets plenty of snow regardless of the forecast due to a geographical and atmospheric anomaly known as the lake effect, so it’s no surprise that Toyota’s CALTY Design Research center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, led the development of these tracked snow machines.
All five builds share the same Snowhunter camo exterior finish and badging, black accents, and auxiliary lighting from Rigid. The shared hardware includes a lift provided by Toyota Genuine Parts and TRD, which sets the stage for the mounting of a tracked drive system that’s sure to make easy work of blasting through snow drifts while other drivers are stuck spinning their wheels. Not that we’d engage in such immature behavior, but still.
The Tundra Snowhunter concept leads the charge, featuring a Toyota TrailLift Pro Rack System Concept courtesy of CALTY Design. The sturdy frame is designed to support all manner of configurable storage, organization, and gear. An articulating top rack lowers to make loading larger equipment like bikes, kayaks, and possibly Bumble, the Abdominal Snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer—hey, things get weird out in the frozen tundra—as easy as possible. Toyota even figured out a way to fit a set of TRD billet rear control arms in a fashion that works with the tacked drive system.
The Tacoma Snowhunter concept follows the Tundra’s lead but is designed for tighter trails and environs where agility is non-negotiable. There’s a roof rack and a full-length bed rack with MOLLE panels, while an awning, additional cargo storage, recovery equipment, and bed lighting round out the treatment.
The beloved 4Runner SUV gets the Snowhunter treatment too, with Toyota Genuine rock rails, a Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels, and a Thule Pulse 2 cargo box to complement its geometric gray and white camo pattern. It’s a cool setup, and we could see running much of this gear even without the snow tracks.
The legendary Land Cruiser needs no introduction, and its Snowhunter concept focuses on enhancing its reputation as a nearly unstoppable force in off-roading. Toyota supplies the rock rails and skid plates, while Prinsu provides a roof rack with accessory panels and Thule contributes a SnowPack ski rack.
Finally, the Sequoia Snowhunter concept applies the Snowhunter theme to the full-size segment. A TRD front skid plate keeps ice balls and other winter debris from contacting the Sequoia’s vital bits while Toyota Genuine cast aluminum running boards flank the exterior. A Prinsu roof rack with accessory panels and a Thule Pulse 2 cargo box provide plenty of places to stow gear and recreation equipment.
While Toyota didn’t share who supplied the tracked drive systems—we’ve seen similar systems by Dominator on vehicles way up north—we’re digging the white powder-coat finish they used for the internal framework. Although these SEMA concepts are heavy on attitude, many of the accessories will work just as well on your daily driver, and ultimately that’s the point.
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Andrew Wendler brings decades of wrenching, writing, and editorial experience with numerous outlets to Car and Driver. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Car and Driver, Esquire, Forbes, Hot Rod, Motor Trend, MPH, MSN, and Popular Mechanics, among others. A Rust Belt native and tireless supporter of the region, he grew up immersed in automotive, marine, and aviation culture. A lifetime of hands-on experience and a healthy dose of skepticism provide him the tools to deliver honest and informative news, reviews, and editorial perspective. Of note, he once won a $5 bet by walking the entire length of the elevated People Mover up track that encircles downtown Detroit.