Officially Official: Toyota debuts 8th generation Land Cruiser
by John Neff on Sep 18th 2007 at 1:25PM 
click above image for more pics of the 8th generation Toyota Land Cruiser
We've already seen Toyota's 8th generation Land Cruiser thanks to a slip by the automaker's Honduran division, but that won't take away the company's pleasure of officially debuting the vehicle today ahead of its public reveal at the Australian International Motor Show in early October. The new Land Cruiser is completely redesigned with a look that evokes the Tundra's bold front end, but it's also 60mm longer and 30mm wider than the vehicle it replaces. The larger dimensions allow the new Cruiser to seat eight comfortably, though we'll wait until we sit in the third row ourselves to test that claim.
In Australia, Toyota will be offering the Land Cruiser with either a turbodiesel V8 or gas V8 engine. While the Australian press release didn't contain details on either powerplant, we found a European press release that states the diesel will be a 4.5L producing 286 HP and 480 ft-lbs. of torque, and it will be mated to a 6-speed automatic. The gas engine will be a 4.7L VVT-i V8 producing 288 HP and 328 ft-lbs. of torque, though its power will be divided by a 5-speed automatic. Since its sister SUV, the Lexus LX570, will go on sale in the U.S. with the Tundra's 5.7L V8, we expect the Land Cruiser to be offered in the States with that engine, as well.
[Source: Toyota]
The new Cruiser features a few high-tech gizmos onboard as well, including a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System, which adjusts the front and rear stabilizer bars depending on the type of terrain that's being pounded, even disconnecting them when off-road. The suspension itself switches from a torsion--bar set-up to a double-wishbone with coils up front, as well. A new CRAWL system is also included that uses the engine and brakes to control the big 'ute when traversing loose terrain like gravel or descending a hill.
We'll be on hand at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney to see the car in person for the first time, and will bring back plenty of pics and more information regarding the new Land Cruiser's release in the U.S.
PRESS RELEASE:
NEW LANDCRUISER: WORLD MOTORSHOW PREMIERE IN SYDNEY
* Australia chosen for motorshow debut
* Petrol and turbo-diesel V8 engines
* Australian-developed KDSS suspension system
* World's first "crawl control" system
* Multi-terrain anti-skid braking system
* Stronger and bigger
* Enhanced performance on all surfaces
Toyota's completely redesigned LandCruiser wagon will have its global motorshow debut in Sydney next month before going on sale in November.
The new LandCruiser, to be known as the 200 series, will offer more powerful petrol and diesel V8 engines as well as other new technologies that enhance its performance.
New LandCruiser will be unveiled at the Australian International Motor Show on October 11.
Toyota Australia's senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said Australia was chosen for LandCruiser's motorshow debut over the recent Frankfurt motor show in Germany.
"This is a real coup for Australia," Mr Buttner said.
"It reflects the vital role Australia has played in the development of LandCruiser over almost 50 years," he said.
"LandCruiser has helped Toyota establish a deep connection with many of Australia's rural and regional communities - a connection that continues today.
"It has been a key factor in building the foundations for the market leadership that Toyota enjoys today in this country."
New LandCruiser is 60mm longer, 30mm wider and the roofline is 15mm higher - with styling changes that give it an even more powerful presence.
The platform has been completely redesigned and retains a full-frame structure, which has been strengthened to increase safety, reduce noise and vibration and enhance interior comfort.
A double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs replaces the previous torsion-bar set-up, improving handling and stability.
In another breakthrough for Australia, the new LandCruiser is available with the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) - originally developed by WA company Kinetic.
This hydraulic system, used for the first time in a Toyota, controls the front and rear stabiliser bars to provide excellent on-road stability.
KDSS also provides outstanding off-road performance through a larger suspension stroke achieved by effectively disabling the stabiliser bars.
Australian LandCruiser models will feature the choice of a new turbo-diesel V8 engine or a V8 petrol engine improved through intelligent variable valve timing.
Both engines have considerably more power than their predecessors while the turbo-diesel engine offers a dramatic increase in torque.
New LandCruiser petrol models feature the world's first "crawl control" system for driving on surfaces such as rocks, sand or steep hills.
Toyota's CRAWL automatically controls the engine and brakes to maintain very low speeds with minimal spinning or locking of the wheels.
It allows for delicate speed adjustments between approximately 1km/h and 5 km/h. Three speed settings can be selected by the simple turn of a dial.
This allows the driver to have a greater focus on steering and is also effective at extracting the vehicle if it becomes stuck.
LandCruiser can split power between the front and rear wheels through a TorsenÆ limited-slip centre differential built into the transfer unit of its full-time all-wheel-drive system.
A newly adopted multi-terrain anti-skid braking system provides excellent braking performance even on dirt roads, gravel and sand.
Safety advances include the stronger body structure, vehicle stability control and up to 10 airbags - front, side and knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, side airbags for the outboard second-row seats and curtain shield airbags for all three rows.
Inside, LandCruiser offers more space for up to eight people.
Available features include Smart Entry and Smart Start, Bluetoothô mobile-phone connection, satellite navigation and steering wheel controls.
Next year, LandCruiser will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Australia - marking the arrival of the first two-door LandCruiser FJ25s that worked on the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme in 1958.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Viv 1:28PM (9/18/2007)
Toyota makes such big cars? You don't say. I thought they make their living of the prius and the corolla? Wow they also make other big ass cars just like the other car makers. Thanks for informing.
A whole load of sarcasm in there for anybody who can't detect it.
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SocalObserver 2:36PM (9/18/2007)
Yeah, don't Toyotas cure cancer and melt 15 pounds off your stomach when you buy one too?
Level 6:47PM (9/27/2007)
talk about not knowing what to design so make the same car into different size....Rav4 highlander now this one...
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VK 3:24PM (9/18/2007)
I thought it was just me who thought that all new toyotas are just bloated versions of the old one, adding bulging fenders and new lights doesnt make it a redesign. ok good now i dont think im going crazy
John P. 1:39PM (9/18/2007)
big ass, and don't forget, it's nasty looking. Look at that thing! yuck!!!! grille and headlights from one car, bumper from another, contorted-pounded-out-by-bubba fender flares. The ass looks like it's off an old Subaru.
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Golferal 3:03PM (9/18/2007)
This gets a big, fat yawn from me. And what's with the bulge in the headlamp enclosures? I don't get it.
The worst part is, they'll probably sell a crap-load of these simply becuase it says "Toyota" on it. Sheesh.
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Lisa Beamer 2:16PM (9/18/2007)
How about a diesel for the US???
If you look on ebay for 80s gray market toyota diesel trucks in the US, they command like $9000 premiums!
Which is nuts for a 25 year old truck with a zillion miles.
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j_diesel 4:32PM (9/18/2007)
i'm always disappointed when i hear about other markets getting the latest turbodiesel and north america only getting some huge gas sucking lump. the first maker to bring a modern turbodiesel to the suv market in north america will win huge. the hummer H1 doesn't count. my bet is on GM with the new lighter version of the duramax. toyota could have beat them with this one but didn't have the intestinal fortitude.
Prof 2:48PM (9/18/2007)
U-G-L-Y and yo mamma dresses you funny. Geez, that's an ugly beast.
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a_wolfn 2:09PM (9/18/2007)
Hmm, I wonder how badly this will overlap with the upcoming Sequoia and the other 20 SUVS in Toyota's lineup.
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Jared 2:24PM (9/18/2007)
It will overlap somewhat, but mostly with the new Sequoia.
It won't overlap with the 4Runner -- the Land Cruiser is significantly larger and more expensive than the 4Runner.
The new Sequoia will be bigger than the Land Cruiser and will have a fold-flat third-row seat, since the Sequoia will have an IRS, while the Land Cruiser sticks with a solid rear axle.
It will be interesting to see how they price the Land Cruiser and Sequoia.
Jason 3:02PM (9/18/2007)
Well, considering the current LC starts at a whopping $30K MORE than the Sequoia, I don't see a lot of overlap. Even fully loaded with every option available on the Sequoia, you're still a cool 10K under starting price of the LC (like the LC has any options though...).
joe23521 2:13PM (9/18/2007)
As pointless and ugly as it may be, people here will still snag them up. Sadly, people will buy anything Toyota puts out.
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Richard 2:22PM (9/18/2007)
You'd think Toyota was Apple!
joe23521 10:05AM (9/19/2007)
Actually, VW is more like Apple. Both have slick looking products that are over-hyped and over-priced.
Toyota's more like Microsoft. No matter how bland their products, people will never stop buying.
davidtokarz 4:28PM (9/18/2007)
Where did all these style experts come from? What's worse is that they spew nothing but nothing but negativity. Why not try and leave a constructive comment every once in a while and compare the car you are harping on to some other current design you admire. "this is ugly" is annoying to read.
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hashiryu 4:50PM (9/18/2007)
One has to wonder....
Drewboy 2:19PM (9/18/2007)
You know, Toyota's exteriors are ridiculously conservative. All they've done with the exterior is round it off and make it blob-like. It just doesn't cut it for me.
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SocalObserver 2:34PM (9/18/2007)
It really seems like the Asian automakers are out of ideas when it comes to styling. Their designs are all derivative and getting uglier each generation. We can definitely thank Toyota for desensitizing us to ugly auto design by filling our roads with their shapeless boring silver blobs (Solara anyone?). Thank God Mazda is still committed to making attractive cars.
Nissan has this lack-of-creativity problem too. It seems like they designed the new Altima and Inifiti G's by putting models of the outgoing designs in the microwave and melting them for about 30 seconds, just like Toyota did with this Land Cruiser.
dskinner 5:37PM (9/18/2007)
Toyota's newest Cruiser looks like it was introduced about eight years. After a decade of the last design, I wonder how many people will even notice the new one.
My question to Toyota is, why make the headlights so small? I mean seriously, could those things be any larger?
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