Toyota knows a thing or two about towing boats … and also trolling.
The automaker is baiting the internet with a new photo it has released on social media that teases the upcoming reveal of the all-new Tacoma pickup.
The image features a current Tacoma shot from the rear, but the devil is in the details.
The blue pickup is parked on a street in front of a brick building with a Brazilian Patent Office sign on it and the post is captioned "Patented good looks."
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The Tacoma is not currently sold in that country, but it has a connection.
This January, the Tacoma4G fan forum website discovered a design patent Toyota had filed with the Brazilian government that included complete renderings of a new midsize pickup.
The renderings depicted a truck that looked almost exactly the same as a recent electric pickup concept that Toyota displayed during an event about its EV plans,
Toyota did not comment on it at the time, but the new image clearly pokes fun at the situation and hides a couple of other clues.
In the background and out of focus, there is a white truck parked in front of the building that appears to be the same as the one from the patent application.
The license plate on the blue truck also includes a telltale code. The number is 040423, which coincides with April 4, a date with two meanings associated with the Tacoma.
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First, it is known across the truck enthusiast world as 4x4 day and unofficially celebrates four-by-four off-roaders like the Tacoma. It also falls on a Tuesday this year, and the Tacoma is known by fans as the Taco. Taco Tuesday, anyone?
Toyota has not officially announced the date as the full reveal of the truck, but it is also one day before the New York International Auto Show opens, so the stars appear to be aligning.
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In fact, last week Toyota posted another image captioned "Lost in the stars" that showed what's likely the new Tacoma shot silhouette at twilight.
The Tacoma was last redesigned in 2016, but its platform dates back to 2005, which makes it one of the oldest new vehicles on sale today. Nevertheless, it has been the best-selling midsize truck for 17 years.
The 2024 model will be all-new, however, and built on a version of the chassis that underpins the recently redesigned full-size Tundra, but other details are unknown.
