Wondering then the new Landcruiser will arrive? What specs will it have? How much it will cost. Get the latest truths and rumors as we hear about them.

Let’s look at some dates…

  • 40 seres – > 1960 to 1984 – > 14 years
  • 60 series -> 1980 to 1989 – > 9 years
  • 80 series – 1990 to 1997 – > 7 years
  • 100 series -> 1998 to 2007 – > 9 years
  • 200 series ->2007 to 201? – > 10 years and counting
  • 300 series -> ?

The 40 series being the odd one out, Toyota has given each model of the big bad flagship Landcruiser about a decade run.

If you’re a little Landcruiser crazy like me, you’ve probably been starting to think — the new one is about due!

Just to tease us all the 200 series recently had a facelift and a few little tweaks here and there. Maybe it’s the last update we’ll see to this model that raised many eyebrows for good reasons and bad.

If the new model arrives in the next year or two, what it certain is they’ll always come out with something no-one will expect. The thumping twin turbo v8 diesel, KDSS and a bunch of electronics standard, were some of the most memorable features of the 200 series. No poverty pack option and small fuel tanks in the Sahara and VX  (both have been corrected) and the first 6 figure price tag might be the things Toyota don’t want you to remember.

But what about the 300 series?

About 1 in 5 (maybe a little less) of Toyotas sold in Australia are a Landcruiser. When you consider how many different Toyotas there are it’s not a bad result given the price tag. Hopefully that and global sales still means it’s a model our Totoya overlords still see a value and invest in.

To keep us all amused as this new model looms, let’s look at some of the rabbits they might pull out.

The engine

This could go two ways. Give fuel consumption the good old two finger salute (which they did with the 200 series) and come out with and even more insanely powerful engine, or they could find a way to make a hybrid setup work and still be able to tow anything. It would love to see them get a hybrid done, but given a lot of these beasts head to the middle east, where fuel isn’t such a thing, they might go with the two fingers. Regardless, the engine is always a talking point and a big part of the Landcruiser legend.

  • 60 series: 12-ht turbo that loves to do a million km
  • 80 series:1hz unbreakable non-turbo
  • 100 series: 1HD-FTE – oh yeah
  • 200 series: 1VD-FTV – V8 twin turbo – OMG

Off-road

The KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) came out on the 200 series. There seems to be a bit of a love hate with this as it’s a pain in to modify (comparably) but it does give you an extra off-road capability from the standard. It also was a concerted effort to maintain the 200 series off-road potential and reputation – that wasn’t some electronic gadget. And even better it was invented by us Aussies!!!!

While the KDSS is mechanical, I expect bigger advancements in offroad capability will come either with added smarts (electronically) – or by better design (clearance / entry and exit angles). It’s hard to image Toyota being able to go much further unless they go 4-wheel steering or some tank like traction system. Maybe a hovercraft model?

Interioir

What Totoya do well be screw together a pretty good car. They think about driver experience both functionally and aesthetically, and I’m sure this new model will raise the bar. Sit in a 40, then a 60, then an 80, then a 100, then a 200 and you’ll get a real sense for how much they step it up each time. Look to the new Hilux for some inspiration but I’m sure they’ll go up again.

Towing

For Toyota, you have to say the 79 series these days own offroad, but the 200 owns the second great pursuit of Aussies, towing the caravan around this vast island. On a trip to Fraser Island, the number of white 200 series towing caravans down the highway was pretty insane. But they’re not wrong.

I don’t care what the tow capacity of all these utes are, including the Hilux, there’s no match for the 200 series Landcruiser for towing. There are import pickups that can tow more, but there are nowhere near as comfortable or refined. Towing is exactly why we own one.

I’m hoping that they find a way to go up again to separate themselves from the Utes who might have the same tow rating but not the same real overall capabilities.

Gizmos

This tends to go like this…

  • The new Sahara will get a bunch of new gizmos
  • The VX will have what the Sahara had the model before
  • The GLX and GX will get the most of the functional and safety gizmos but not the luxurious ones (i.e., leather)

I expect nothing different. KDSS might become all range thing, so might be all the driving mode selectors you see on the Sahara. You’ll see more personalisation in the top models and a stack of nice to haves so you can make your martinis 24/7. Of course, the Sahara won’t have everything as they’ll need to leave some room for the even more luxurious (and expensive) Lexus to deliver on.

Safety

You can only hope that there is a heap of new advancements with this through all the models, not just the expensive ones. Brake assist, alerts of driver drowsiness, and blind spot detection along with airbags and stability and traction control. We hope it gets the lot, but likely to come down to how affordable were all these when the model was being developed.

Size and space

You have wonder if the cruiser can afford to go and bigger. I don’t think it can and will likely do more with less space over expand. But I could be wrong. Toyota sells a heap of their bigger tundras in the US. So they still may think bigger is always better. Probably because none of them have tried to navigate the tight tracks of the snowy mountain ranges

Whatever happens, it will be an event!

Just like Mac v’s PC, and cannon v’s Nikon, there will be a heap of praise and criticisms pointed in the direction of the 300 series when it lands.

Time will be the ultimate storyteller of the 300 series Landcruiser. Just as it was the first time something with a Landcruiser badge rolled off the Toyota factory floor.

… and we’ll look forward to following it 🙂

A kind of update but not …

Asked Toyota’s PR department again, this is the response.

 

Rumors (from comments)

  • Release date: October 2017
  • No Diesel option

Don’t hold me to account on any of them 🙂