LAS VEGAS (November 2, 2021) – The rising trend of downsizing meets the call of the wild with Toyota’s Tacozilla Tacoma Camper. This isn’t just any camper; it’s a meticulously crafted “micro-house” on wheels, purpose-built for backwoods overlanding adventures. Tacozilla serves as a vibrant homage to Toyota’s iconic campers from the 1970s and 80s, reimagined for today’s explorer.
Unveiled at Toyota’s 2021 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show display in Las Vegas, Tacozilla takes center stage amongst other adventure-ready concepts. Based on the robust Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport pickup, this concept vehicle embodies the very spirit of overlanding, showcasing Toyota’s commitment to enabling outdoor enthusiasts to go anywhere and everywhere.
“Tacozilla perfectly encapsulates Toyota’s ‘go-anywhere’ ethos, resonating deeply with our community of owners who are passionate about overlanding and outdoor recreation,” stated Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota Division Marketing. “Tacozilla is an unforgettable concept, guaranteed to turn heads whether it’s dominating the SEMA show floor, setting up camp at a remote campsite, or conquering challenging off-road trails.”
The mastermind behind Tacozilla is Marty Schwerter, leading a dedicated team at the Toyota Motorsports Garage. Their vision was to create a camper that was not only functional but also aesthetically integrated with the Tacoma, moving away from the boxy, refrigerator-like designs often seen in truck campers.
“We consciously avoided the typical ‘box on a truck’ aesthetic,” Schwerter explained. “We wanted Tacozilla to have rounded edges and smooth aluminum surfaces to seamlessly flow with the Tacoma’s existing body lines, creating a more cohesive and refined appearance.”
While opting for sharp edges would have simplified the construction, Schwerter and his team prioritized design integration and visual appeal. “Our mission was to engineer a vehicle that performs flawlessly and looks exceptionally cool doing it,” Schwerter emphasized. “Drawing inspiration from the sleek aesthetics of race cars, I believe campers should also embody a sense of cool and dynamic design.”
The transformation began with stripping down the Tacoma to its bare frame. This allowed the team to meticulously assess the space and identify components that needed relocation to accommodate the camper structure.
“To achieve a comfortable standing height inside the camper, we realized the design needed to extend below the Tacoma’s frame rails,” Schwerter detailed.
The next critical phase involved optimizing interior space without compromising the Tacoma’s off-road capabilities. The team focused on miniaturizing and repositioning essential systems to ensure ample headroom for individuals over 6 feet tall, along with sufficient space for camper amenities and comfortable living.
To validate their spatial calculations and overall design, the Toyota Motorsports Garage team constructed a basic camper frame for initial fitment and dimensional testing. This prototype stage allowed for critical adjustments and reinforcement of the frame, ensuring structural integrity and a seamless visual connection with the Tacoma’s design language. The deliberate tapering of the camper’s top and bottom sections not only enhanced its visual appeal but also served a practical purpose: improved maneuverability on narrow trails, minimizing the risk of collision with trees and other obstacles.
The tapered shape, while aesthetically pleasing and functionally advantageous, introduced fabrication complexities, particularly in crafting the rear door. A flat door would have been simpler to manufacture, but the team deemed it incompatible with the integrated design philosophy of Tacozilla. The pursuit of seamless integration led to over 100 hours dedicated solely to designing and perfecting the rear door.
Another significant engineering hurdle was creating a robust and safe pass-through opening between the Tacoma’s cab and the camper. This required meticulous reinforcement and bracing to withstand the rigors of off-road driving. The design had to allow the cab and camper structures to work in unison, flexing independently on uneven terrain without compromising structural integrity or creating hazardous driving conditions.
Ingeniously, the team repurposed the Tacoma’s original rear fender flares, seamlessly integrating them into the camper’s wheel well openings. To enhance off-road performance, they also increased the Tacoma TRD Sport suspension by two inches and equipped Tacozilla with high-traction 285/70/17 General Tire Grabber X3 all-terrain tires.
Custom builds are inherently iterative, and Tacozilla was no exception. Midway through the aluminum skinning process, the team decided to incorporate a large pop-up Lexan skylight. This addition floods the interior with natural light, enhances air circulation, and provides valuable extra headroom. Further customizations included relocating the fuel tank filler to ensure complete isolation from the camper living space, preventing fuel fumes from entering the interior. A secondary battery was also installed in the Tacoma’s engine bay, providing supplementary power without encroaching on the camper’s limited interior space.
Complete Customs, a trusted Toyota partner based in McKinney, Texas, played a crucial role in the project, providing expert customization support and executing the striking paintwork. Tacozilla’s exterior features a white base coat accented with a retro-inspired yellow, orange, and bronze color scheme, reminiscent of classic Toyota campers. The interior is fully insulated and meticulously finished, realizing the “micro-house” concept. It boasts teak sauna-style flooring, a complete bathroom with a hot-water shower, a fully functional kitchen equipped with a stove and sink, and a 3D-printed dining table that cleverly transforms into backlit wall art. Ample sleeping space completes the comfortable and well-appointed living quarters within Tacozilla.
¹It is important to note that Tacozilla is a special prototype project vehicle. Modifications with non-genuine parts and accessories may render the vehicle illegal to operate on public roads, void the manufacturer’s warranty, and negatively impact the vehicle’s safety and overall performance.
