The Land Cruiser has been manufactured continuously for more than 70 years, across 14 model lines, with countless variations. It was originally designed as a mobility vehicle for Japan’s National Police Reserve. In that time, it has sold more than 10 million units and developed a cult following among four-wheel-drive enthusiasts, continually setting the standard for toughness, dependability, adaptability, and longevity. It is the car with the highest customer trust in the entire world and it laid the groundwork for Toyota’s development philosophy of quality, dependability, and durability.
When did Toyota start producing the Land Cruiser?
The Toyota Land Cruiser was created during the Korean War. The United States of America sought to defend pro-Western South Korea against its Soviet-backed invaders after North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950. There was a need for military trucks, and the U.S., which at the time was still occupying Japan, pushed the island country to create a homegrown vehicle to meet this demand. The thought was that the U.S. could use such a locally made vehicle in regional wars.
Toyota had created a military truck prototype by the start of 1951. The Toyota Jeep BJ, as it was initially called, was propelled by the brand’s B-type 3.4-liter inline-six engine and had style that was influenced by the Jeeps driven by American forces stationed in Japan that were designed for off-road use. The Willys Jeep would eventually replace the Japanese manufacturer’s military truck, but the Toyota left enough of an impression that it was quickly ordered for service as a patrol car for Japan’s National Police Agency.
On October 31, 1957, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. is established. American sales of the company’s automobiles start in 1958. In its first year on the American market, the brand sells a total of 288 vehicles: 287 Toyopet Crown sedans and one Land Cruiser, which is internally referred to as the 20-series. The 3.9 liter Toyota F-type inline-six engine provides power for the Jeep-like SUV.
Despite initially experiencing low demand, the Toyota Land Cruiser quickly establishes itself and, from 1961 to 1965, becomes the best-selling Toyota in the country. In 1960, the renowned 40-series Land Cruiser makes its debut; this model is also known as the FJ40 (F for the engine type, J for Jeep), and following generations maintain this naming scheme. The 40-series Land Cruiser is initially sold alongside the 20-series, according to Dan Busey of the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum. The 40-series is a groundbreaking product even though its appearance is evolutionary.
The finished product is improved by new assembly methods, and the four-wheel-drive SUV’s off-road skills are improved by the inclusion of a two-speed transfer case. In 1975, a larger 2F-type 4.2-liter inline-six engine is added to the design, and it powers the 40-series Land Cruiser up until 1983, when Toyota stops selling the vehicle in the United States. Years later, the FJ Company lends us a 1981 FJ43 Land Cruiser that has undergone a comprehensive restoration and modernization and costs $200,000 to purchase.
In 1967, Toyota releases the 55-series Land Cruiser wagon as a plusher, more accommodating replacement for the hardy 40-series. The 55-series Land Cruiser, which has a 16-inch larger wheelbase than the smallest 40-series SUV, has a variety of model-specific improvements. The company’s 3.9-liter inline-six engine has a revised head shape and a camshaft based on its 2R-type four-cylinder smaller engine, which together increase the huge SUV’s ability to cruise at highway speeds.
In 1975, the 55-series Land Cruiser switched from the outdated F-type engine to the new 2F-type 4.2-liter inline-six, just like the 40-series Land Cruiser. The pre-1975 three-speed manual transmission is replaced by a new four-speed engine and transmission.
In 1980, Toyota introduces the brand-new 60-series Land Cruiser to replace the 55-series model. The 60-series is built for increased on-road comfort in addition to its boxier appearance. Even yet, the SUV maintains its conventional four-wheel drive and live axles in the front and back, making the 60-series very much a Land Cruiser. For 1988, the vehicle gets a redesign and switches out its two round headlamps for four square ones. The old 2F-type 4.2-liter inline-six is replaced with the new 3F-type 4.0-liter engine, and a new dashboard updates the SUV’s interior to modern standards. While the new engine has a smaller displacement, its power and torque ratings have increased from 125 horsepower and 200 lb-ft to 155 horses and 220 lb-ft.
While the 40-series Land Cruiser isn’t formally replaced in the United States, Toyota’s rugged SUV gets a replacement elsewhere in the world. The 70-series Land Cruiser upholds the philosophy of its forerunner and prioritizes off-road capability over individual comfort. There are several body types available, including a two-door and a longer wagon model. The latter receives a significant facelift in 1990 and is renamed the first Land Cruiser Prado. The new 90-series Land Cruiser Prado replaces the Prado in 1996, however some 70-series variations are still produced today. Additionally unavailable in the US is the 90-series.
The new 80-series Land Cruiser, which is bigger and longer than its predecessor, goes on sale in March 1990 for the 1991 model year. The four-wheel-drive system is now a full-time configuration with a locking center differential and can be driven on dry pavement without binding. Power is still provided by a 155-hp 4.0-liter inline-six engine. Toyota ups the ante in 1993, installing a new 1FZ-FE-type 4.5-liter inline-six engine in the Land Cruiser that cranks out 212 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. The addition of the optional front and rear locking differentials improves the vehicle’s off-road capability.
The 80-series Land Cruiser is adopted by Lexus as its opulent LX450 flagship SUV following a minor redesign for the 1995 model year that features a revised grille and standard twin airbags. The Land Cruiser and LX450 are offered side by side despite having similar mechanical and aesthetic components. Of course, one is more expensive than the other.
The new-for-1998 100-series Land Cruiser from Toyota replaces the 80-series model. Although the revamped Land Cruiser doesn’t make much of a stylistic difference, there have been significant changes made. A new 4.7-liter V-8 engine with 230 horsepower replaces the previous model’s inline-six with 212 horsepower, increasing structural rigidity by 50%, and adding an independent front suspension in favor of the live front axle. A minor makeover in 2003 increases the V-8’s capacity by five horses, while a subsequent update for the 2006 model year increases the V-8’s output to 275 horsepower for the Land Cruiser.
Additionally, Lexus obtains its own 100-series Land Cruiser. The ultra-luxury SUV, known as the LX470, stands out more from its mechanically identical, Toyota-badged sibling thanks to model-specific styling. Additionally, the Lexus has adaptive dampers and a height-adjustable suspension.
The 2003 Lexus GX470 is the American version of the 120-series, which is sold abroad as the Land Cruiser Prado. The Lexus shares a lot of the Land Cruiser Prado’s exterior, while the Toyota 4Runner also rides on the same platform. The GX470 is 4.3 inches shorter than its larger sibling and shares a 4.7-liter V-8 engine with the more expensive LX470 that produces 235 horsepower. Although the GX470’s Land Cruiser heritage is obscured by its rear-biased torque distribution, a full-time four-wheel drive system is standard.