Toyota Tacoma–Based Windansea Pickup Is a Weird—but OK—Flex

• Flex Automotive launched its first American dealership in San Diego in 2022, and it now has a U.S.-specific model with the Windansea pickup truck.
• Based on the third-generation Toyota Tacoma, the Windansea sports a boxier front end with circular headlights and steel bumpers.
• The Windansea starts at $52,800, but the price ultimately depends on the cost of the donor truck.

If you have a nostalgic streak but don’t consider yourself a Luddite, the Flex Renoca Windansea may be the pickup truck for you. In 2022, Japan-based Flex Automotive announced plans to open its first U.S. showroom in San Diego, selling 1990s and 2000s Toyota Land Cruisers with a redesigned front clip that mimics the classic FJ60-series Land Cruiser from the 1980s. The firm also hinted it was planning a Tacoma-based model exclusively for the United States. Flex finally pulled the wraps off this retro-styled truck, which it calls the Windansea.

Built off of the third-generation Toyota Tacoma—launched for 2016 and ending with the 2023 model year due to the release of the redesigned 2024 Tacoma—the Windansea features a boxier front end that integrates a rectangular grille replete with Toyota’s classic font. A pair of squared-off headlight housings each contain a circular headlamp and a rectangular turn-signal lens. The steel bumper protrudes from the bodywork, and the Windansea rides on simple steel wheels.

Flex Automotive listed the powertrain for the Windnsea as the Tacoma’s optional 278-hp 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission, but the company notes that exact specifications depend on the individual donor vehicle. We imagine Flex Automotive won’t turn down a check for someone looking to give their four-cylinder or stick-shift Tacoma the Windansea treatment. There’s no evidence Flex Automotive’s touch extends past the bodywork.

Buyers can choose from an array of options to spice up their Windansea. This includes items such as lift kits, bed racks, fog lights, and reupholstered seat options, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible head units for Windanseas based on older Tacomas without this tech. Other extras include side steps, an upgraded sound system, and WeatherTech floor mats. Flex says that the Windansea starts at $52,800, but the final price of this classic-looking modern pickup ultimately depends on the price paid for the donor vehicle and the extent of the truck’s customization.

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Source: Motor - aranddriver.com