Toyota Integrates 3D Printing In Its New Concept SUV

Looks like summer just won’t go away! Toyota surprised attendees at the 2024 SEMA Show in Las Vegas with the unveiling of the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept. The concept vehicle integrates additive manufacturing and a design inspired by California surf culture. The brand is no stranger to the use of additive manufacturing. This year, Toyota’s Customizing & Development department had already launched the Hyper-F SUV concept, a vehicle that featured multiple 3D printed parts, showing the potential of the technology in the automotive sector.

The new 4Runner TRD Surf concept is an ode to classic SUVs that, in their first generations, already possess the essence of adventure and freedom that defines the 4Runner model. This new concept revives the nostalgia of removable roofs, a nod to the surfing lifestyle of Southern California. Now, with the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept, Toyota goes a step further by including a 3D printed removable roof, which combines lightness, precision and a design perfectly adapted to the vehicle.

Toyota unveiled the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept SUV at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

The 3D Roof of the 4Runner TRD Surf Concept

Additive manufacturing has allowed Toyota designers more freedom and flexibility to create complex parts without the limitations of traditional manufacturing methods. This roof, designed in the Toyota Motorsport Garage and made from advanced materials, is the result of a blend of traditional and modern techniques, including the advanced use of CAD and 3D printing. In this way, the manufacturer ensures that the roof is visually appealing, as well as functional, lightweight and easy for one person to remove.