Toyota builds some of the most inoffensive, middle-of-the-road, and family-friendly vehicles extant. Parents no doubt see most of the brand’s products as perfect for hauling the rugrats to kindergarten or to soccer practice—and for passing on when they go to college. Kids, of course, have their own ideas of what makes a perfect car, and that seems to be the angle taken with these six vehicles, which were all created in partnership with athletes and extreme sports stars.
CamRally
Unlike the standardized contraption that New England–born racer Parker Kligerman wheels in the NASCAR Nationwide series, this rallified Camry is actually based on the real thing. Built in conjunction with Kyle Busch Motorshports and, uh, North Carolina–based Detroit Speed, this Camry SE is fitted with a turbocharged V-6 of undisclosed output, as well as racing seats, a full cage, uprated brakes, and a night-stage-ready light bar. Oh, and a righteous wing. This is one Camry we want to drive, and we particularly dig the classic red, orange, yellow, and white Toyota competition livery.
Crusher Corolla
Canadian Drew Bezanson is an experienced competitor in the BMX world, but he stopped thinking about bikes for a little while to help inject some excitement into the anodyne 2014 Corolla. Well, the excitement here really starts when the car is parked. Created with headphone maker Skullcandy, the “Crusher”—it’s named after a model of Skullcandy cans, and not a reference to the scrapyard—gets sturdy bike racks, rally-style wheels, a pair of removable speaker bars with lights, and a hood graphic perfect for a BMX helmet or the bottom of a skateboard deck. The idea, says a quote attributed to Bezanson, was that “a BMX rider could drive next to any drainage ditch and transform the space into a performance with bikes, lights and music.” The trunk has nooks for bike tools, and iPad integration controls the audio system. The headrests are also larger-than-life replicas of headphones.
DC Shoes Tacoma
This truck’s theme was decided via a vote among three options by fans of DC Shoes. (Suck it, motocross and skateboarding!) It can hold several boards and a snowmobile, and also has places for shovels as well as a 40-inch LED light bar and a pop-up tent on the roof. What’s more, there’s a snowplow “to push through drifts” as well as to earn some green to pay for the replacement board you broke attempting a sick 1620.
Let’s Go Moto Tundra
This gray 2014 Toyota Tundra received extensive modifications to “accommodate the oversized needs” of motocross X Games gold medalists Justin Brayton and Josh Grant. Shops Joe Gibbs Racing Motocross and N-FAB were in charge of the execution. A CrewMax cab was paired with an eight-foot bed—a combo unavailable from the factory—built out with a custom box to hold a motocross bike, piles of gear, a helmet dryer, tools, a power washer, and more. Beyond those necessities, this Tundra is lifted by 12 inches and also helps riders cool off and chill out after a desert run with power-operated awnings for shade, three TV screens (one each for video games, movies, and running bike diagnostics), and a refrigerator. Given the ridiculously thorough transformation seen here, it’s no wonder this one took top prize in the Dream Build Challenge, which pitted this Tundra against the CamRally, the Crusher Corolla, and the 4Runner below in an online vote.
LifeTime Fitness RAV4
LifeTime Fitness asked triathletes Sarah Haskins, Andy Potts, and Hunter Kemper what an ideal vehicle for their sport would look like. They came up with a RAV4 that includes a hot shower, an onboard clothes dryer, and lots of storage. The driver’s seat can deliver a shiatsu massage, there’s an integrated iPad to pore over race statistics, and a roof rack grips two road bikes. Meanwhile, a refrigerator, a cupboard full of snacks, and a blender ensure the superhuman athletes can rehydrate and carb load on the go.
Instrumented Test: Toyota Camry SE V-6
Instrumented Test: 2014 Toyota Corolla S Automatic
Instrumented Test: 2013 Toyota RAV4 XLE AWD
Ultimate Dream Ski 4Runner
Freestyle skier Simon Dumont worked with eyewear company Oakley on this one, with the objective to create a vehicle “as aggressive as the sport” but also offer the “comforts appreciated by an athlete at the end of a long day.” Starting with a 2014 4Runner wouldn’t spring to mind for us, but Toyota is in charge here. The stock face of the refreshed 4Runner is far from attractive, and it appears that Herbst Smith Fabrication, which was in charge of the exterior, owned that fact here, making a scary-looking truck look even scarier (and actually cool) with a burly-ass grille and a dark camo wrap. LED lights illuminate the way, a power-lowering roof rack holds sets of skis, and three iPads inside control the doors, windows, multimedia setup, and more. The 4Runner also has glove and boot dryers, a portable grille, and a coffeemaker.