Most would agree that there is nothing so particularly American as the image of a pick-up truck. Nonetheless, Toyota is determined to make inroads on that iconic association with their ‘B-cab” edition of the Tundra.

“Toyota Motor Corp. has extended a special offer to its dealers nationwide: They will be given $2,000 to purchase base-model “B-cab” editions of the Tundra pickup, redesigned for the 2007 model year to better compete with Detroit’s Big Three automakers in the full-size truck war.

The company is offering its more than 1,200 dealers in the United States the incentive to purchase the new Tundra for use as a parts delivery truck. Toyota spokesman Bill Kwong said the program is a way to gain exposure for the new Tundra, which went on sale in February. Dealers typically have to go through other channels to buy the pickups for their own use, so this deal will save them time and money, Kwong said.

The incentive expires April 30 and is available for Lexus, Scion and Hino Motors Ltd., all truck dealers that sell Toyota vehicles. At the same time, the automaker is giving dealers cash incentives that can be used at their discretion to discount B-Cab editions of the 2007 by up to $1,000 on a nationwide basis, Kwong said. In some regions, the incentive is as high as $1,500.

A base model variant of the vehicle, composed of a basic two-door cab, carries a base price of $22,290, more than $2,000 higher than a base Ford Motor Co. F-150, the traditional segment leader.

Toyota is making a strong push into the full-size truck market. The company, in a surprising move, priced its trucks higher than the domestic competition in some cases, and now is offering special programs to cut prices and lure buyers.”
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