ElChupacabra

The new TRD upper front strut bar is now available. Parts should start shipping tomorrow. MSRP installed price is $245 The color is TRD red and looks awesome. You guys should check this out...

mikochu

If it is the one that was in the 2006 pamphlets, it looks like a rebadged Hotchkis bar...

ElChupacabra

No I think youre talkin about the DC Sports bar. That one looks just like the Hotchkis bar. Here is a bad pic of the bar...

mikochu

The hotchkis strut bar for the tC has the same design as the new 2006 "TRD" strut bars. *shrug*

ElChupacabra

i might fight you on that one. The Hotchkis bar is pretty flat but the TRD is a much beefier tubular design. I mean all strut bars are essentially the same in that they are a bar in some shape that connect the strut towers. I guess Im just partial to TRD...

mikochu

Hotchkis tC strut bar

Looks like the same design to me :D

Of course, they are for different cars, but I think the new TRD strut bar for the tC is the same as the Hotchkis one, but in red and with TRD badging.

The "TRD" cold air intakes are rebadged AEM intakes, too...

ElChupacabra

Yeah they definately contract out production for some of the parts. I wouldnt deny that. I just prefer to have TRD stuff on my car over outside manufacturers even though its the same thing. I like to keep it inhouse. Guess thats what happens when you work for the man...

xA_Factor

I'm surprised that TRD is intoducing another one. They had that simple straight blue one up until a few months ago. It's was discontinued......presumably because nobody was buying it due to the Hotchkis bar offered through Toyota.