2014 4Runner- Why Tease When You Can Also Inform?

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When automakers want to drop the hint about their new car, they usually provide teaser photos to the public, where a tiny section of the vehicle is photographed so as to only give away a glimpse of it. You know the kind- they're usually a close up shot of the grille, or a headlight. I'll go out on the record and say I'm not the biggest fan of those (or maybe my imagination is just lacking!)

Need an example? Here you go:

In other cases, automakers might leak so-called "spy shots" where the vehicle is seen outside during a road test while covered up with protective material.

Toyota could have certainly gone with either option in previewing the new 2014 4Runner, but they decided to mix it up a bit in hyping us for their next SUV. In addition to the teaser photos, they also made an infographic! I like the idea- get us excited for something new by highlighting the vehicle's past achievements.

What do we know so far about the new 4Runner? The 2014 version will be a face lift of the fifth generation mid-size Toyota SUV. It will feature more aggressive looking front headlights and tail lamps, going with Toyota's recent trend of giving their vehicles a more sleek and stylish appearance (just take a look at the redesigned Avalon for further proof).

The official reveal of the 4Runner happens at the StageCoach Music Festival in Indio, California, which will coincidentally be the first-ever major vehicle reveal at a large concert!

Could You Live Out of Your Car For Two Years? This Filmmaker Did.

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Tom mounting a camera on the hood of his Tundra.

The internet has been buzzing lately over the story of Tom Lowe, a filmmaker who gained attention after he posted several shorts videos to Vimeo.com depicting time elapsed footage of landscapes, vegetation, and wildlife.

His films became so popular that a filmmaker in New Zealand noticed, and offered to help fund Tom in shooting a full length feature film. Equipped with top of the line camera gear and $100,000, Tom recruited some interns and began filming. 250 days later, he compiled enough footage to create his documentary, TimeScapes, a breathtaking look at areas most of us would typically refer to as the American Wild West. As Tom himself puts it, "I spent a year and a half of my life basically driving around the Southwest looking for the most beautiful and inspiring places I could find."

What interested me about this story is that Mr. Lowe shot the entire film from his Toyota Tundra pickup truck. I'm sure he never expected to be living out of his truck for such a lengthy amount of time, but it's good to know he picked a reliable vehicle to carry out his task! The Tundra's been awarded the title of "Most Dependable Large Pickup" for seven years in a row by J.D. Power and Associates. After all, the last thing you want is to have your truck break down in the middle of Yosemite Park. I'm guessing there's probably not too many gas stations or body shops out that way. I reached out to Tom via Twitter (@DreamCorePics) and asked him how his Tundra held up during the filming process. He responded to me, saying it was "100% reliable". Nice!

You can see the trailer for TimeScapes below.