The 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser, by way of Honduras
450.jpg)
Click image for gallery
The 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser has yet to make its formal debut, but that hasn't stopped Toyota's Honduran arm from jumping the gun and publishing the official photos of the big SUV. Corporación Flores, which we assume to be the automaker's importer in the country, has posted a flash gallery showing the truck inside and out under a "Nuevo Productos" banner on the homepage.The mothership in Aichi must be very, very pleased. We've collected and arranged the photos for you in a gallery of our own. The truck is predictably similar to the '08 Lexus LX570, with which it shares its Tundra-sourced 5.7L V8, its general exterior appearance, its interior design, and... wait, that's everything. We'll go out on a limb and predict that those funky tribal tattoo graphics you see above won't make the transition to US market trucks, though.
Thanks for the tip, Allan!
[Source: Toyota Honduras/Corporación Flores]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
jon 10:41AM (8/15/2007)
This thing is new? How ugly!
Reply
rob 10:42AM (8/15/2007)
are you sure that's not what your mom said when you popped out?
Rambo 11:56AM (8/15/2007)
Now Rod, don't be an ass.
We all see the pictures and they speak for themselves. THIS THING IS UUUUUGGGGLLLYYYY!
Don 3:49PM (8/15/2007)
She's not ugly, but she's no Ferrari, either.
But what do you expect from an SUV?
British_Rover 10:52AM (8/15/2007)
That really is hideous. It looks just like an over inflated Highlander which looks just like an over inflated RAV4. I understand the idea of having brand identity across models but vehicles shouldn't just look like small, medium and large sizes of the same design.
Reply
Todd 10:59AM (8/15/2007)
And, it looks like Hyundai designed it.
Vik 10:59AM (8/15/2007)
I agree this looks like a bloated Highlander. Quite an ugly beast. Too bad the last real Landcruiser was produced in 1997. I'm sure the target market of soccer moms with more money than brains will happily drop the $50-60+k for this high-status minivan on stilts.
Reply
Todd 11:01AM (8/15/2007)
Vik, some of my off-roading friends would say that the real Landcruiser was produced in the '60s, not the '90s.
But, I would agree that the ones from the '90s are far more desireable looking than this diabetic looking thing.
rob 11:03AM (8/15/2007)
actually i have a feeling this car (as opposed to other luxobarges) is targeted more towards developing countries, who have plenty of buyers for these types of cars. when traveling in el salvador, i always see plenty of land cruisers (and toyotas, period). if you ask me, land cruisers overall get a lot more off-road action than other similarly priced and sized SUVs.
rob 11:06AM (8/15/2007)
oh, and i'll agree its not the prettiest SUV out there... but i don't know thats the reason why people buy these. maybe escalades and navigators (although the new one is horrific) but the land cruiser still has a certain cache in other parts of the world. remember, the U.S. is not the land cruiser's only market.
Reply
jon 11:40AM (8/15/2007)
Rob must be a fan of this ugly mother. Sorry its still ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly..... oh did I say how ugly it is?
wally 12:09PM (8/15/2007)
jon,
rob just looked in the mirror this morning & all he can remember is ugly!!!!!!!!!!!!
Put a Hyundai name plate on it!!!!
Keith 11:16AM (8/15/2007)
Could I have some BIGGER headlights, please! Oh my gosh! Their HUGE!
Reply
Slice 11:53AM (8/15/2007)
Seriously, I've seen less glass at a solar power plant.
Ligor 11:51AM (8/15/2007)
have you seen the headlights on the Navigator
How about the full length tailights?
this thing is ugly, but when it comes to having a vehicle that can handle Sahara and the Arctics this would be the 1st choice for any expedition
But, that doesn't mean it's not ugly
chivyas 12:01PM (8/15/2007)
I think Toyota's long term plan is to hire sales reps right out of Wendy's. Picture this someone walks into a Toyota showroon, wanting a SUV. At the check out counter all the sales rep has to do is ask "would you like to biggie size your order for just $20,000 more" lol.
I know the Land Cruiser in other parts of the world is used as a real off roader and comes in various configurations that allow it to be sold as fairly descently priced SUVs. In the US it has been restricted as an uptrim model. I would hope Toyata keeps it out of the US market as it is just too close to the Lexus model and the only thing different is the badge and the service center you take it too.
Given they already have the Sequoia it would make sense not to bring it to the US and keep the Lexus brand equity up by not having a similar looking Toyota in the mkt.
Reply
British_Rover 1:20PM (8/15/2007)
You joke but I see that happening. Look at all the different auto companies now that have cars that are essentially Small, Medium and Large copies of each other.
At first glance an A4 doesn't look all that different then an A6 unless you have a good profile shot to see the wheelbase difference. The same can be said of the A8.
Merc is like that with the C, E and S Class now that the new C-class is on the way out with the S-Class styling.
BMW has actually done a fairly good job of differentiating the 3 and 5 series from the 7 series just by making each larger car progressively more ugly. Of course they screwed it up with the X5 and X3 cause you can't tell them apart anymore.
The list goes on and on.
Travis Rassat 4:00PM (8/15/2007)
Yeah, I think the small/medium/large copies of vehicles is kind of a bad side-effect of companies' attempts at establishing their identity by having consistent "signature" styling cues that can be recognized from a mile away. That's gotta be a pretty hard thing to do right.
Ozzie Cruiser Owner 2:30AM (8/22/2007)
Maybe you work on commission for Lexus - that's what they would just love
We have just moved to Canada and are really pissed that Toyota Canada stopped importing Landcruisers in 1996 - just so Lexus can sell their overpriced versions - am looking to go to US to bring one back to Canada.
The Sequoia is not a real Landcruiser and you guys should remember that in most of the rest of the world Landcruisers are THE 4WD - King off the road is slogan Toyota uses. Far better than the rubbish we have available here with part time 4WD with no LSD etc (like the F150 I own)
We still own a 2000 100 series Landcruiser back in Australia and have towed an 8t Cattle truck out when it got bogged on our loading ramp - yes we use it for real off road stuff on our farms
What a pity that you can't get a real Landcruiser diesel in North America - it has real grunt and will go forever and doesn't cost an arm and a leg to run unlike the petrol version.
Our last Landcruiser died of old age and rust - it was a 1977 Fj55 - much loved farm vehcile but in terms of off road capacity the newer 100 Series has it all over it - except in scrub/lantana bashing where I wouldn't take the newer vehicle.
And yes I am a Landcruiser fan - have owned two in Australia and wish to own another one here in Canada
hlclaindt 12:01PM (8/15/2007)
That thing looks ugly and bad to the bone. Would be nice to use that thing up in Montana.
Reply