The Toyota 4Runner is a versatile tool that can be used on- and off-road in a variety of environments, from the Pacific Northwest to New England. With the 2016 4Runner TForce Special Edition, Toyota is targeting customers who live in the Gulf States region of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Toyota starts with an SR5 4×4 4Runner, blacks out its chrome badges, then adds off-road equipment such as heavy-duty rock rails with removable side steps and a front skid plate to keep nature from bashing into the TForce’s more sensitive parts. Its 17-inch matte black wheels are wrapped in Nitto Terra Grappler G2 All-Terrain tires and sit under painted fender flares. Up top, there’s an aluminum roof rack for hauling kayaks, bikes, and gear. Its multiple mounting locations also allow for the attachment of GoPro cameras or LED lights for nighttime off-roading adventures.
The 4Runner TForce’s interior is protected by all-weather floor mats and an equally weather-proof cargo area mat.
Those visual and hardware changes add $4,999 to the price of an SR5 4×4 4Runner, including the Premium version of it which packs features such as heated front fabric seats, Entune Premium Audio with Navigation and App Suite, a power moon roof, and heated side mirrors.
Look for the 2016 Toyota 4Runner TForce Special Edition in Midnight Black Metallic, Super White, or Barcelona Red Metallic in dealerships in late winter – especially if you live near the Gulf of Mexico.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
Where do you go for answers when you have a Lexus with a gorgeous leather interior but are not sure about how to maintain that luxurious look? The "Club Lexus" forums, of course.
