2008 Land Cruiser V8
All-new Land Cruiser V8
- Eight generations of Toyota’s longest-running Toyota model
- More than five million worldwide sales
The all-new Land Cruiser V8 is the eighth in a line of long-wheelbase, station wagon-style Land Cruisers. With a heritage going back 57 years, it is the longest-running model in the Toyota line-up and has been in the forefront of Toyota’s expansion since the 1950s, taking the brand to new continents and previously untapped markets.
Land Cruiser V8’s roots can be traced right back to the BJ, the first four-wheel drive vehicle developed by Toyota, produced early in 1951. Powered by a 3.4-litre, six-cylinder engine, the BJ rapidly gained a reputation for toughness and an ability to go anywhere.
Within six months of its launch the BJ was hailed as a champion, becoming the first vehicle to be driven to the sixth hill station of Japan’s Mount Fuji, up. As a result of this feat, the BJ was added to the Japanese police fleet and the model’s long-term success began. In 1954 the new Type 25 BJ was given a generic model name – Land Cruiser – which has been used ever since.
As Toyota began its worldwide export and growth programme during the 1950s and 1960s, it found that American and European carmakers had already secured high penetration in the established markets, leaving little room for new entrants from Japan. Strategically, Toyota decided to focus on the emerging markets of the Middle East, south-east Asia and South America.
In 1967, Toyota responded to the popular trend in the American market for more refined 4x4 vehicles with the launch of the Land Cruiser Station Wagon FJ55V. This was to create a new generation of Land Cruisers, running in parallel with the original ‘jeep-style’ off-road concept.
Over the years, Land Cruiser has become synonymous with Toyota throughout the world. From Australian Outback to the Russian steppes and the streets of Europe, the vehicle is admired for its all-round capabilities: highly reliable, tough off-road, yet sufficiently comfortable and refined to go anywhere and be seen everywhere.
It continues to be a global sales success and is the world’s best-selling SUV, with more than five million customers since launch. Today it is sold in more than 140 countries and produced in nine Toyota manufacturing plants around the globe (all body types). Its principle markets are the Middle East, Australia and Europe.