The Toyota Land Cruiser is one of the most revered cars of all time. Irrespective of whether you are a Land Cruiser fan or not, whether you like SUVs or absolutely loathe them, there’s one thing you are sure to agree with — The Toyota Land Cruiser is a nameplate that is among the all-time automotive greats.
Be it the personnel of the United Nations in remote locations of the world or some of the most dangerous terrorist organisations in the world, they all swear by the toughness, ruggedness, and bulletproof reliability of the Land Cruiser. So how exactly did it all begin? What is the Land Cruiser heritage?
In this Toyota Land Cruiser DubiCars Car Highlight blog, we delve into the archives to tell you everything you need to know about the Land Cruiser.
Toyota Land Cruiser History & Heritage — Models Over The Years
Roots Of The Land Cruiser
It all began during the Second World War. The Imperial Japanese Army invaded and occupied the Philippines in 1941 after defeating American forces defending the islands. The American Armed Forces primarily used a Willys MB Jeep during WWII and the Japanese Army saw that this would be perfect and wanted a similar vehicle. They sent one of the captured Willys MB to Toyota and ordered the development of a similar vehicle.
The good folks at Toyota then got to work and developed the AK10. Though the Toyota AK10 went into service, it didn’t see widespread use during the war. After the war ended, the AK10 was renamed as the Land Cruiser and a much more advanced version was developed based on the learnings of the AK10 development. This advanced version was called the Toyota BJ.
Toyota Land Cruiser BJ | 1951-1955
The development of the Toyota BJ was commissioned by the American Government. The USA was on the lookout for a new military vehicle and the Toyota BJ was developed for this very purpose. Toyota’s test driver Ichiro Taira drove the BJ all the way to the sixth stage of Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, thereby proving its capabilities to the world.
The Toyota BJ was available in a few body styles including Touring, Radio, and Cowl-Chassis. It was initially powered by an inline-six-cylinder 3.4-litre petrol engine and later models came with a 3.9-litre inline-six-cylinder petrol engine.
Toyota Land Cruiser 20/30-Series | 1955 – 1960
The J20/J30 generation of the Land Cruiser was developed with more civilian traits than army traits because Toyota planned to export this model. It was still based on the BJ, but came with a more comfortable suspension for a more pliant ride and was slightly redesigned to look a little more stylish. This generation was powered by the same engine options as the BJ.
Toyota Land Cruiser 40-Series | 1960 – 1984
The 40-Series came with only a few styling changes but several new powertrain changes. Over its 24-year lifespan, the 40-Series was constantly upgraded. This was the first generation of the Land Cruiser to be offered with a diesel engine.
In fact, a total of six diesel engines were plonked into the engine bay of the 40 series, starting with a 3.0-litre inline-four-cylinder and going up to a 4.0-litre inline-six-cylinder. The 3.9-litre petrol engine was upgraded in power and capacity and in 1975, a 4.2-litre inline-six-cylinder petrol was added to the list. The 40-Series also came with multiple body styles.
Today, the Toyota Land Cruiser 40-Series is treated as a collectible, and classic car enthusiasts love it. This particular 1984 Land Cruiser 40-Series hard top is a great example. It is completely restored to mint condition and the asking price is AED 128,000.
Toyota Land Cruiser 50-Series | 1967-1980
Fondly nicknamed ‘The Iron Pig’ because of the way it looks, the Land Cruiser 50-Series was more of an extension of the 40-Series, quite literally. It is a station wagon SUV that Toyota developed, mainly to cater to the demand for this body style in the 60s and 70s. It was powered by the same engines as the 40-Series. There was even a unique fire engine version of the SUV.
Toyota Land Cruiser 60-Series | 1980 – 1992
If the Toyota Land Cruiser 300-Series is considered one of the most luxurious SUVs in the world today, it has the 60-Series to thank for it. This is where the Land Cruiser went from being a raw, barebones, go-anywhere SUV to a luxurious SUV that could still go anywhere. It received comfortable seats, air conditioning, a heater for rear passengers, etc.
The 4.2-litre petrol engine was downsized to 4.0-litres while the Land Cruiser made new strides in the diesel engine area. This generation was the first to come with a turbocharged diesel engine.
Toyota Land Cruiser 70/79-Series | 1984 – Present
The 70-Series of the Land Cruiser is an automotive winder. It is the longest-running single model without major changes, in automotive history. It went into production way back in 1984 and some countries still have access to this rugged SUV. It is one of the most beloved SUVs in the Middle East and even in the UAE, you can walk into a Toyota dealership today and get either a 300-Series Land Cruiser or the 79-Series Land Cruiser.
Over its almost 40-year lifespan so far, the 70-Series has seen immense success in several markets around the world. It is a thorough workhorse and just refuses to give up, irrespective in some cases of the critical use it is put through.
It was sold in multiple body styles. Buyers have had the option to pick from four petrol engine options and 11 diesel engine options! Truly a legend in the automotive space.
Toyota Land Cruiser 80-Series | 1990 – 1997
The 80-Series was yet another all-new generation of the Land Cruiser. It was first unveiled in 1989 at the Tokyo Motor Show and production began in 1990. Depending on the market it was sold in, most of the 80-Series Land Cruisers had full-time four-wheel-drive as standard. This enhanced the capabilities of the SUV.
The 80-Series was among the most comfortable SUVs of its time while also offering great performance. It could be optioned with either a 4.0-litre or a 4.5-litre inline-six-cylinder petrol engine. A 4.2-litre inline-six-cylinder diesel engine was also on offer.
The 80-Series is slowly turning into a classic car and is very much loved in the UAE. Finding one for sale is a rarity as owners do not intend to sell their 80-Series. However, when you do find them, it is not uncommon to see prices in the range of AED 75,000 to AED 80,000.
Toyota Land Cruiser 100-Series | 1998 – 2007
The 100-Series is among the most loved Land Cruiser generations, especially in the UAE. With the 100-Series it almost seemed like Toyota stepped away from the tough, butch looks and styled it to be more appealing to the urban buyer. However, under the skin, it was still tough as nails. Thousands of examples of the 100-Series can still be found on UAE’s roads.
Petrol versions were available with either a 4.5-litre inline-six-cylinder engine or a 4.7-litre V8 engine. It was the first Land Cruiser model to be sold with a V8 engine. The V8 in question is the much-revered 2UZ-FE engine which is known as one of the toughest engines in the world. Some of these engines have clocked over one million kilometres with nothing but basic maintenance. The UAE only gets the petrol-powered 100-Series.
Some other markets also got the 4.2-litre inline-six-cylinder diesel engine which was carried over from the 80-Series.
Toyota Land Cruiser 200-Series | 2008 – 2021
The most-sold Land Cruiser generation is the 200-Series. Launched in 2008 and produced all the way until 2021, the 200-Series is the staple among Middle Eastern families. If you head out to the UAE desert for a safari, you’re most likely to be driven in one of these. Despite having clocked thousands of kilometres on the desert sand, in low-ratio 4WD, in addition to lakhs of kilometres on the road, these SUVs barely have squeaks and rattles.
The legendary 4.7-litre V8 was the best-selling engine option. In addition, it was available with a 4.0-litre V6 petrol, a 4.6-litre V8 petrol, a 5.7-litre V8 petrol, and a 4.5-litre V8 diesel engine.
300-Series | 2021 – Present
The 300-Series Land Cruiser is the most modern and most stylish Land Cruiser generation yet. It was unveiled in June 2021 and bookings came flooding in. It has a tall structure and is tech-laden.
Some of the advanced features seen on the 300-Series Land Cruiser include:
- Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS)
- Electronic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (E-KDSS)
- Multi-Terrain Select System
- Multi-Terrain Monitor System
In addition, the new Land Cruiser boasts a modern, spacious, and comfortable interior. With the 300-Series Land Cruiser, Toyota discontinued the V8 engine that was considered the hallmark of the Land Cruiser. Instead, Toyota brought in smaller V6 engines.
The base variant is available with a 4.0-litre petrol V6 engine while higher-spec variants are powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine. The new, more modern, smaller engines are more powerful than the older V8 motors and they are also more environmentally friendly.
While it is a little difficult to come by the earlier Land Cruiser generations for sale in the UAE, finding a good 100-Series, 200-Series & 300-Series is pretty easy. There are almost 1,000 new Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs for sale in the UAE right now. Here is a list of used Toyota Land Cruiser SUVs in the UAE.
Also Read:
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