Toyota LandCruiser: The Original 4WD Returns Motoring Channel Staff - 9/November/2007 | 
New Toyota LandCruiser
Powered by V8 engines, both petrol and
diesel, the new LandCruiser has arrived
Pricing begins at $70k for what is one of the
largest passenger vehicles ever sold in Oz
Bigger is Better?One of Toyota's
longest running vehicle lines in Australia, LandCruiser, has be reborn
and promises to deliver even more of, well, everything. There's a
plethora of new on- and off-road driving aids, including the locally
developed KDSS system, plus a stronger chassis which should combine to
ensure the LandCruiser is still a serious bush basher, which will keep its traditional rural customer base happy. Of
course with
things like an 8-seat capacity, up to 10 airbags, and a modern exterior
design that evolves the previous look, the new LandCruiser
will also appeal to families and those drivers who simply want the
biggest, baddest SUV this side of Hummer. - Feann Torr, Editor |
LandCruiser has seating for up to 8 people
and more airbags than most prestige cars
The front suspension is now double wishbone for
improved ride, while the rear remains rugged
Automatic gearboxes and climate controlled air
conditioning are standard across the entire range
|
Alice Springs, Australia —
Toyota has launched its new LandCruiser 200 range in Australia,
priced between $69,990 and $104,990. There are three grades - GXL, VX and Sahara - and two engine choices, one diesel V8 and the other petrol V8. The new Toyota LandCruiser made its worldwide debut at the Australian International Motor Show
in October 2007, and has seating for up to eight passengers and can be
optioned with up to 10 airbags. The Australian pricing is as follows: | Petrol | Turbo-diesel | GXL | $69,990 | $79,990 | VX | $79,990 | $89,990 | Sahara | $94,990 | $104,990 |
Toyota
Australia's sales and marketing chief, David Buttner, talked about
the LandCruiser's 50 year evolution from a basic 4WD utility
vehicle into an modern SUV. "Everything Toyota has learnt
in half a century of building four-wheel drives has gone into the
design, development and manufacturing of the new LandCruiser 200," Mr
Buttner said. "It has retained the capability of the original LandCruiser, and added the comfort and convenience of a luxury sedan. "New
LandCruiser is more than a step forward; it's a giant leap ahead in
technology, performance, specification and value," insisted Mr Buttner. One
of the key technology upgrades of the new Toyota LandCruiser 200 series
is the locally-developed KDSS suspension system. Developed by a Western
Australian company called Kinetic, the KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System) is a hydraulic system that controls the
front and rear stabiliser bars to provide excellent on-road stability. It is claimed to improve off-road performance through a larger
suspension stroke achieved by effectively disabling the stabiliser bars. KDSS is standard equipment on all models except the entry-level GXL turbo-diesel model, where it is a $2,500 option. Towing capacity is 3500kg with a braked trailer (750kg with unbraked trailer), now that the towbar is now has been integrated into the chassis, and the boot has 700 litres of space up to the 2nd row. The new Toyota LandCruiser range weighs between 2555kg and 2720 kilograms. The entire LandCruiser range is equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels and Torsen
limited-slip centre differential built into the transfer unit of the
full-time all-wheel-drive system. This allows the SUV to split power between the front and rear wheels. Another off-road innovation is the newly adopted
multi-terrain anti-skid braking system that provides improved braking
performance even on dirt roads, gravel and sand. Some of the other driving aids include the world's first 'crawl control' system, which is was
developed for driving on surfaces such as rocks, sand or steep
hills. It automatically controls the engine and
brakes to maintain very low speeds with minimal spinning or locking of
the wheels. Ideal
for harsh terrain, it
allows for precise speed adjustments between about 1km/h and 5 km/h
claims Toyota, and that three speed settings can be selected by
the simple turn of a dial. Toyota says this allows the driver to have a
greater focus on steering and is also effective at extracting the
vehicle if it becomes stuck. At present, all petrol models have Crawl Control instead of Downhill Assist Control. Toyota predicts that the biggest-seller in the range will be the 195kW, 650Nm twin turbo-diesel GXL LandCruiser ($79,990).
It uses 10.3 litres of fuel per 100km on the combined city/highway
cycle, and "should prompt company and government fleets to reassess
bans on buying V8 engines" according to the Toyota press release.
Toyota's head of sales and marketing, David Buttner,
said "These new [diesel] engines demolish the argument that having a V8 engine is the same as having a gas guzzler. Modern engine technology has advanced in leaps and bounds - certainly at Toyota." The
4.7-litre petrol engine isn't nearly as frugal as the diesel. Though it
has slightly more power, 202kW (but significantly less torque), the
petrol engine returns a combined fuel economy figure of 14.5L/100km and
emits far more carbon dioxide than the diesel model. Both V8 engine's
vitals are as follows: 4.5-litre V8 BiTurbo Diesel
 Power: 195kW @ 3400rpm
Torque: 650Nm @ 1600-2600rpm
Fuel Use: 10.3L/100km
C02: 273g/km
Gearbox: 6-speed auto 4.7-litre V8 Petrol
Power: 202kW @ 5400rpm
Torque: 410Nm @ 3400rpm
Fuel Use: 14.5L/100km
C02: 341g/km
Gearbox: 5-speed auto Powered by
both petrol and diesel V8 motors, the Toyota refers to the new model as a
completely redesigned vehicle, despite what appears to be
only minor changes to the cars exterior design. Both
engines are mated to automatic transmissions with
sequential shifts. Mr
Buttner said the new LandCruiser was a giant leap ahead in technology,
performance, specification and value: "More than ever before, it will be the vehicle against which other 4WDs are judged," Mr Buttner said. "It
has helped us forge a strong connection with Australia. As a
result, Australia has also played a significant part in developing the
latest generation of what is rightly regarded as the king off the road. New
LandCruiser has been tested and evaluated here for several years over
more than 200,000 kilometres," added Mr Buttner. With a modern new design somewhat similar to the new Lexus LX570 luxury SUV, the new LandCruiser has grown 60mm longer, 30mm wider and the roofline is 15mm higher all of which improve interior space. Toyota also mentions that the
platform upon which LandCruiser is based has been completely redesigned
and retains a full-frame structure for true off-roading. Furthermore,
the frame has been strengthened to increase safety, reduce noise
and vibration and enhance interior comfort. The suspension has become more advanced but whether this benefits
its off-road capabilities is not yet known. The front end employs a
high-mount double-wishbone system with a hollow stabiliser bar and coil
springs, replacing the torsion-bar set-up of the previous model. The
rear suspension sees the return of the four-link (with
lateral rod), coil-spring system. According to Toyota, it has been further refined and now delivers a longer
suspension stroke for improved performance and better handling and ride
comfort as well. For family buyers there's the added safety
advances of the stronger body structure, vehicle stability
control, and up to 10 airbags including 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. The
8-seater 4WD also offers gets Smart Entry and Smart Start,
and can be optioned with Bluetooth mobile-phone connection, satellite navigation and steering
wheel controls. Standard
features across the range include automatic transmissions,
climate-controlled
air conditioning with pollen filter, dual front SRS airbags, front side
airbags, full-length three-row side curtain airbags, multi-terrain ABS
(with EBD and brake assist), vehicle stability control, active traction
control, and hill-start assist control. Things like smart entry and
smart start (keep the keys in your pocket) improve ease of use, and a
sub fuel tank (except for petrol GXL models) enhances the LandCruiser's
touring range. The
mid-level Toyota LandCruiser model, designated the VX grade,
gets additional features starting with driver and front
passenger knee airbags, second-row seat side airbags, privacy glass,
front foglamps, matte metallic-look side steps, remote power windows
and moonroof, door courtesy lamps, a small overhead console, and a
multi-information display (trip computer). The VX models
upgrade you with leather seat trim, power-adjustable front seats,
40:20:40 split-fold second-row seat (in lieu of 60:40 split), an alarm
system and woodgrain interior dashboard trim. Finally the
top-of-the-range Sahara adds things like a reversing camera, satellite
DVD navigation with 6-stack CD/DVD/MP3 changer and 9-speaker stereo.
It's got a quad zone climate-controlled air conditioning system, cool
box, a headlamp cleaning system, wood and leather gear shift lever and
steering wheel with audio controls and an electro-chromatic interior
mirror. With this many features, the Lexus LX570 is going to have to be
very well equipped to stand out. In 2008, the Toyota 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. Related Links:
- Toyota RiN Concept (2007)
- TRD Aurion (Road Test)
- Toyota iQ Concept (2007)
- TRD Aurion (2007)
- Toyota Corolla (2007)
- Toyota Supra (2010)
- Toyota Tarago V6 (2010)
- Toyota Aurion (2006)
- Toyota Aurius (concept)
- Toyota
Camry (2006)
- Toyota
Tarago
(2006)
- Toyota
RAV4 (2006) |
