The 1985 science-fiction comedy movie “Back to the Future” starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd is marking its 30th anniversary this year.
Lately, Hollywood has been making a big fuss about celebrating the anniversaries of previous blockbuster films either through a long-delayed sequel or simply a re-release to theaters as a way of paying tribute to the movie.
Back when the movie was shown in 1985, Marty McFly, the character being played by Michael J. Fox, had a dream truck then which was the 1985 Toyota Pickup, a 4×4 with KC HiLites, awesome tube bumpers, and a rollbar, details Four Wheeler.
Early this week, Toyota announced that it is working on a special edition 2016 Toyota Tacoma in honor of the 30th anniversary of “Back to the Future.”
True to its word, the Japanese carmaker has delivered on its promise and created the 2016 version of Marty McFly’s dream truck with the 2016 Toyota Tacoma, which is certainly better than Marty could have ever imagined back in 1985.
Reputation for rugged durability
While the DeLorean DMC-12 time machine in “Back to the Future” was merely an improvised craft for the movie, Marty’s dream truck was actually the 1985 Toyota SR5 Xtracab Pickup, cites Car and Driver.
The 1985 model Toyota pickups and 4Runeers were highly regarded by Toyota enthusiasts then because it was the only model year where the solid front axle in the vehicles appeared in tandem with the legendary fuel-injected 22R four-cylinder engine.
The pickup truck had a reputation for rugged durability and off-road prowess were set in stone during the sequel of the movie shown in 2009. The pickup has since transcended its West Coast cult status.
The 2016 Tacoma version of Marty McFly’s dream car has an exact shade of black and features a tailgate logo in 1985. It also came with some modifications including vintage ’85 truck mudflaps, mounted tubular front and rear bumpers, a light bar, and a full complement of KC HiLites lamps with period-correct bright yellow KC covers.
Although at this point the 2016 Tacoma McFly edition is still just a promotional item, it’s clear that Toyota has struck a sweet spot and many enthusiasts are hoping that the Japanese carmaker would officially produce some for the retail market too.
Meant more for roughhousing
When the interiors of the 2016 Toyota Tacoma was featured at the New York International Auto Show early this year, pickup truck enthusiasts were impressed with its car-like features and the great amount of technology that it has taken on for its infotainment system.
Everybody knows that in North America, a pickup truck is always an ideal work vehicle. Very seldom that it is being used as a city vehicle to go to work or do personal and official errands with.
Toyota already has the Tundra to compete with the big-name pickup truck makers in the full-size pickup truck category and the Tacoma is its bet in the mid-size segment, even though it is actually smaller compared to other entries of other carmakers in the category.
Americans have been so used to seeing today’s pickup trucks going bigger and meaner, but Toyota deviated from the norm by launching the 2016 Tacoma, some 10 years after it rolled out the last iteration of the brand in 2005.
But looks could be deceiving for the 2016 Toyota Tacoma as it is actually designed more for roughhousing than for work. With its features and capabilities, great technical specifications, and top-of-the-line engine performance, the 2016 Toyota Tacoma is the badass mid-size pickup truck that buyers did not know they wanted.
The Japanese carmaker’s mission statement for the 2016 Tacoma was to make it one helluva of a mid-size pickup truck to complement its big brother, the Tundra.