Toyota Land Cruiser
The Land Cruiser is a series of popular four-wheel drive automobiles from Toyota of Japan. Originally, they were strictly utility vehicles, but they now are available as sport utility vehicles.
Widely used around the world in areas which require durability, reliability and off road performance.
Its widespread use as the transport of choice for militia units and irregular forces in the third world have served as a testament to their reliability and toughness.
Created as a competitor to other off-road vehicles like the Land Rover and the Jeep in many places the Land Cruiser is ubiquitous and has almost eliminated other 4WD vehicles from the market.
Their design started in 1950, and mass production began in 1953. The Land Cruiser has been produced in a number of different versions, including the successful flat bed pickups predominantly used as Technicals.
In many places, the term Land Cruiser has almost become a generic term for an off road vehicle.
Toyota designer Kazuo Morohoshi interviewed in South African Car magazine explains the background to the birth of the Land Cruiser "Growing up after the war, I was really impressed by the US Army personnel's Jeeps... and how they could climb up and over obstacles. We have many classic shrines with stairs leading up to them, and these cars simply climbed up those steps. I decided that one day I would make a similar kind of 'mobile', something more like an animal or insect than a car, which could do even better".
Chronology
- 1941 In 1941, the Japanese government tasked Toyota to produce a light truck for their military campaign. Toyota developed a prototype, the 2-ton AK10 in 1942. It was not a success and the production run went to Nissan. There are no known surviving photographs of the AK10. The only known pictorial representation is some rough sketches. The truck featured an upright front grille, flat front wheel arches that angled down and back like the FJ40, and headlights that mounted above the wheel arches on either side of the radiator. It had a folding windscreen.
The US Army Willys Jeep arrived in the Pacific in May 1943 so allegations of the later BJ being copied from the Jeep are open to question.
- 1950 The Korean war created demand for a military light utility vehicle on Japan's doorstep an updated Jeep. The US put out a request to tender for 100 vehicles - the exact requirement spec is unknown. Toyota did not respond to this tender.
In the second half of 1950, Toyota gets an opportunity to tender for a contract for a Jeep type vehicle to be procured by the Japanese National Police Reserve Force.
- 1951 The BJ prototype is born in January 1951 called the 'Toyota Jeep' which like the British Landrover Series 1 which appeared in 1949 - also has a strong resemblance to the American World War 2 Willys Jeep. The BJ is a tad bigger than the Jeep, considerably more powerful thanks to its 2.2-litre four-cylinder side-valve truck engine generating 61 KW at 3 000 and 215 NM at 1600 revs per min. The BJ is part time 4x4 like the Jeep. Unlike the Jeep however the BJ has no low range transfer gearbox making do with an extra low first gear of 5.53:1 ratio.
Toyota loses a National Police Reserve Force tender, but Toyota had the confidence and tenacity to continue development of the prototype with a view to export markets which is part of the vision and strategy of Kiichiro Toyota - the founder of the Toyota motor company formed in 1937 from his father's automated cloth weaving business.
In July of 1951 Toyota's test driver Ichiro Taira drives the next incarnation of the BJ prototype up to checkpoint 6 of the famous extinct volcano -Mount Fuji, the first vehicle to get this far. This test is overseen by the National Police Agency. Suitably impressed by the feat the NPA promptly places an order for 289 units adopting the Jeep BJ as their official patrol car. This acts as a catalyst for subsequent orders from the Forestry and Agricultural Agencies, together with several Japanese electrical power utilities.
- 1953 Full volume production of the BJ begins with assembly undertaken at the Toyota Automatic Loom Works Ltd, and the painting done at Arakawa Bankin Kogyo KK, later to be known as ARACO, which is now an affiliate of TMC.
- 1954 The Land Cruiser name born. The US Willys-Overland company maker of the Willys Jeep of WW2 fame, objects to Toyota's use of the name 'Jeep' the BJ is referred to as the 'Toyota Jeep'. Toyota apparently having believed 'Jeep' to be a generic name for a four-wheel drive. Technical director Hanji Umehara pondered over a new name. "In England we had another competitor - Land Rover. I had to come up with a name for our car that would not sound less dignified than those of our competitors. That is why I decided to call it 'Land Cruiser'," he recalls in an interview with South African Car Magazine.
- 1955 The original 85 horsepower diesel engine was replaced with a 125 horsepower F-series 3.8L petrol unit.
20 Series Land Cruiser introduced alongside the BJ. Designed to have more civilian appeal for export than the military-oriented BJ, more stylish bodywork, a better ride thanks to longer, four-plate leaf springs which had been adapted from those of the Toyota Crown saloon. Under the bonnet it sported the newer, larger, more powerful F-Series six-cylinder engine (3 878 cc, 78 kW). The interior of the vehicle is also made more comfortable, the extra space achieved by moving the engine 120 mm forward. The 20 Series still has no low range, only the extra low 1st gear but it has synchro-mesh on the third and fourth ratios.
- 1958 The first hard-top Cruiser introduced. From this year an even longer (2650 mm wheelbase) model, the FJ35V, is produced in both wagon and van body styles.
- 1961 20 Series is upgraded to the now classic 40 Series. Many of the changes related to production techniques, Toyota having procured new presses. Mechanically, the 40 is given a new, uprated 3 878 cc version of the F-type engine (now producing 93 kW) and the Land Cruiser at last receives a proper set of low range gears.
- 1961-1965 Global Production passed the 50,000 mark. Land Cruiser is the best selling Toyota in the US.
- 1967 Introduction of a new station wagon Land Cruiser. The 50 Seriesor FJ55 - sometimes called 'the Moose' produced alongside the 40 series.
The 50 Series has a longer, 2 700 mm-wheelbase model, designed with an eye to the North America and Australian markets, where it establishes the Cruiser's reputation for robustness and reliability over an above the competition - a reputation that continues to this day. The 50 series is eventually to get a more powerful (4,2-litre 2F-type) six-cylinder petrol engine with outputs of 104 kW at 3 600 r/min and 294 NM at 1 800 rpm.
Introduction of the first Land Cruiser diesel for export, an export-only model fitted with the H-type 3 576 cm³ engine.
- 1968 100,000th Land Cruiser sold worldwide.
- 1972 200,000th Land Cruiser sold Worldwide.
- 1973 300,000th Land Cruiser sold Worldwide.
- 1974 The real diesel era for the Land Cruiser begins this year, the B-type diesel engine is fitted to a new BJ version of the 40 Series. A four-cylinder unit displacing 2 997 cc, it delivers 63 kW at 3 600 rpm and 196 NM at 2 200 rpm. It's introduction boosts Japanese home market sales, as the smaller power-unit put the diesel Cruiser in a lower tax category than its four-litre petrol-fuelled sister. Over the following years, this diesel engine is improved, eventually evolving into the 2B (3 168 cc 3/69 kW/216 NM) and 3B (3 431 cc 3/73 kW/226 NM).
- 1975 The 3.8L engine is replaced by a larger and more powerful 4.2L version. In Japan the Land Cruiser has almost always been available with a diesel engine originally 3.2L, reintroduced a 3.0L in 1976, and updated to 3.2L again in 1979 - but was never officially available in the U.S.
- 1980 The 2nd generation station wagon is introduced - the FJ60 produced with a view to the US station wagon market it has a choice of petrol (2F) and diesel (3B) power-units.
- 1981 Land Cruiser sales surpass a million. A high-roof version was introduced, and a bigger diesel, the 3980 cm³ 2H engine, is added. The new model also comes with a five-speed transmission.
60 Series introduced into South Africa in the 1981 Toyota 1000 km desert race, when a stock Cruiser showed its ability to compete on equal terms with competition off-roaders through the punishing wilds of Botswana.
- 1983 This is the last year of sales for the FJ40.
1984 70 Series introduced - (pickups and station wagons) replacing the stalwart classic 40 series. Fortunately the 70 Series is a superb vehicle and soon becomes a classic itself. Initially only available in petrol engine with 2F power plant.
Automatic transmission Cruiser introduced, the first in a Japanese four-wheel drive. A
- 1985 70 Series diesel introduced. Diesel engine offered in 60 Series luxury VX version generating 100 KW.
- 1988 The petrol engine uprated, the new 3F unit displacing 3 955 cc and generating 108 kW. Available in a G version, allowing it to be sold in Japan as a passenger car.
- 1989 80 Series station wagon Introduced - replacing 60 Series. Solid or beam axles front and rear, introduction of coil springs and trailing arms. Initially the 80 was offered with a choice of three engines, the 3F-E six-cylinder petrol unit, the 1HD-T direct injection turbo-diesel (120 kW/362 NM), and a normally aspirated 6 cylinder diesel.
All 80 series Cruisers sold in North America and Europe are full time 4wd. In Africa and Australia, a part-time system is still available - the South African version badged the GX. 80's produced between 90-91 have an open centre differential which is lockable in 4HI and automatically locked in 4LO. From 92 on, vehicles with ABS had a viscous coupling that sent a maximum of 30% torque to the non-slipping axle. The differential is lockable in 4HI and automatically locked in 4LO.
- 1990 Introduction of new-generation diesel engines, the five-cylinder, SOHC 1PZ and six-cylinder, SOHC 1HZ diesel - still current with minor modifications to this day. Later the same year, wagon versions had a complete makeover.
Consumer's Digest names the Land Cruiser a "Best Buy", and the 2 million sales mark is passed.
80 Series is named one of Consumer Digest's "Best Buys" and the "Best Full-Size SUV in Customer Satisfaction" by J.D. Power & Associates.
- 1992 Petrol unit replaced by the new 1FZ-FE petrol engine - current with minor changes to this day this is a DOHC 4 476 cc unit peaking at 160 kW and 372 NM.
"Best Full-Sized Sport Utility" in IQS and CSI, J.D. Power, and among "Best Buys" by Consumers Digest.
1993 The introduction of the Turbo diesel now sporting a 24-valve, DOHC inline six-cylinder engine displacing 4.2 litres.
"Best Full-Sized Sport Utility" in IQS, J.D. Power, and among "Best Buys" by Consumers Digest magazine.
- 1994 Consumers Digest "Best Buys".
- 1995 Driver and passenger side airbags, adjustable shoulder-belt anchors introduced in some models together with ABS. Turbo diesel gained four-valve heads and a power boost to 125 kW - still no intercooler though many fit them themselves. 80 Series VX still highly desirable to this day
