Brussels, Belgium,
20
August
2008
|
15:23
Europe/Amsterdam

2008 Land Cruiser V8

The heritage of Land Cruiser

  • A legend in the global SUV market
  • Toyota’s first official export
  • The world’s best-selling SUV

The Land Cruiser name is synonymous with Toyota’s worldwide brand values of outstanding quality, durability and reliability. It occupies a special place in the company’s history, tracing its roots back to 1951 and having the distinction of being Toyota’s first mass-production model to be officially exported from Japan, in 1956.

Land Cruiser Chief Engineer Sadayoshi Koyari explains: “For almost 60 years now, three key words have been the basis of each Land Cruiser generation: strength, durability and reliability. With the new Land Cruiser V8 we were determined to recognise the loyalty of Land Cruiser customers by providing a vehicle that will never betray their trust.”

 

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, 2,500 metres 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.

 

A new generation

  • Advancing Land Cruiser’s fundamental strengths
  • Meeting the expectations of modern customers

Typical Land Cruiser customers look for modern technology in their cars, but they also value the brand heritage behind the badge and the authentic ‘Land Cruiser style’.

Toyota has the same fundamental aims with every new Land Cruiser: firstly to build on the vehicle’s tradition of reliability, durability and off-road performance; and secondly to improve handling stability, ride comfort and driving pleasure.

Chief Engineer Sadayoshi Koyari says: “At the start of this project, back in 2002, we considered the future direction of Land Cruiser, taking into account the evolving expectations of a global customer base with a strong demand for the model. I am confident that the all-new Land Cruiser V8 has the genuine off-road capability to strengthen Toyota’s reputation for advanced technology, while offering increased refinement and a premium market position. It is a real, go-anywhere adventure vehicle.”

The global sales target for the model is 86,500 units in 2008, with around 18,000 vehicles available in Europe. Its outstanding 4x4 capability is especially valued in Russia, making it a major market with a target of 9,500 units.

Across Europe, typical Land Cruiser customers are self-confident and successful people from higher income brackets. They are often early adopters of advanced technology and appreciate Land Cruiser for its blend of technical ability, durability, refinement and a genuinely adventurous off-road spirit.

The all-new Land Cruiser V8 delivers improvements in all of these aspects, together with improved safety and comfort, ensuring that Toyota’s flagship model continues to satisfy customers’ needs and expectations right around the world.

 

Powerful, functional design

  • Advanced and rugged exterior
  • Form and function the focus for refined interior
  • Versatile seven-seat configuration

For more than 50 years, consistently high quality and technical sophistication have earned Land Cruiser its special status in Toyota’s model line-up, embodying the company’s world-beating four-wheel drive capability. The design of the new Land Cruiser V8 needed to respect this heritage, while bringing Toyota’s off-road image up-to-date.

The new model has a rugged and powerful exterior design, with a strong emphasis on function and retaining many characteristics of previous generations. The interior, with its bold shapes, expresses the vehicle’s refined, premium quality.

It’s a practical vehicle, too, seating seven with ample space for all passengers, and offering flexible load-carrying capacity with seats that tumble and fold to create a flat floor.

Created and styled at the Toyota design centre in Aichi, Japan, the new Land Cruiser V8 exemplifies the ‘Vibrant Clarity’ aspect of Toyota’s brand design philosophy. This ethos guides the development of off-road models that are vibrant and energetic, while retaining clarity of purpose.

Land Cruiser V8 Chief Engineer, Sadayoshi Koyari, explains: “The key word we selected to focus the design evolution of the new Land Cruiser V8 was ‘trust’. The reputation and trust built by previous generations of Land Cruiser is therefore heeded in the new design. Further strengthening of this trust between customers and the new generation Land Cruiser V8 is encouraged by blending a strong, dynamic design with an advanced sense of function. This creates a modern, aspirational vehicle with a strong focus on four-wheel drive and genuine off-road driving ability. It brings the Land Cruiser brand identity up-to-date, and further leverages the heritage of the vehicle.”

 

Powerful exterior styling

  • Bold lines and eye-catching surfaces
  • Dynamic road presence
  • Integrated front and rear styling

The new Land Cruiser V8 has a powerful, clean exterior design, with a strong shoulder line, eye-catching surface treatments and large front and rear bumpers. It has a thoroughly modern feel as a functional, yet premium 4x4 vehicle. The size and shape of the side windows emphasise the spaciousness of the cabin and deliver excellent visibility, and the bumpers project an image of strong off-road capability.

It is slightly longer, taller and wider than the current Land Cruiser Amazon, giving a more dynamic stance, but the increases in size have been kept to a minimum to maintain manoeuvrability in tight, off-road situations.

The overall length is 4,950mm (+60mm), width is 1,970mm (+30mm) and height 1,865mm. Clever design to maximise interior space and a shortened engine compartment have enabled the cabin length to be increased by 130mm (measured from the accelerator pedal to the back door), adding to passenger comfort and convenience.

The integrated chromed radiator grille and headlamps create a strong horizontal line at the front of the vehicle, with a bright alloy finish around the grille’s outer frame expressing refinement and premium quality.

At the rear, a powerful stance and flared wheel arches that emphasise the overall width of the vehicle are inherited from the existing Land Cruiser Amazon, as is the configuration of the combination rear lights.

The large rear light units use LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) arranged in a two-lamp design to improve visibility. The integrated tail and stop lamps, together with the rear direction indicators, have clear outer lenses and red inner lenses, adding to the premium appearance.

The integrated rear roof spoiler is body coloured to blend in neatly with the line of the body, and is effective in enhancing aerodynamic performance and fuel efficiency. The split rear tailgate has a ‘clamshell’ design, which allows for easier opening in confined spaces and loading of heavy objects.

The new Land Cruiser V8 is available in a choice of six exterior colours: Tyrol Silver, Decuma Grey, Regency Red, Fir Green and Slate Blue metallic and Astral Black.

 

Refined and stylish interior

  • Sense of scale and space
  • Strong, bold shapes
  • Wood trim detailing

Function and form are the guiding principles for the interior, which has been designed to reflect the refinement and premium status of Land Cruiser V8 while still allowing a sense of ruggedness and reliability. The interior is practical too, with a choice of five- or seven-seat configuration, ample space for all passengers and versatile seat folding for maximum luggage capacity.

The design of the instrument panel, large central instrument cluster and console is key to the sense of scale and space, with a strong horizontal emphasis helping ensure that the driver is intuitively aware of the angle of the vehicle.

Detailed wood grain highlights, matched with slim chrome-plated bars with a low gloss finish, add style to the interior. The lower instrument panel features “hold bar” panels with a texture similar to sculpted metal; in keeping with the architectural feel, these appear to support the upper instrument panel. Practical, shaped knee pads are provided to improve comfort and support when driving on rough roads.

The interior has a two-tone design, with a new range of colours. Darker colours are used on the instrument panel and trim areas, with contrasting mid-tones for the upholstery. Two colour schemes are available: Sandstone beige and Ammonite medium grey.

The coherent design extends to the door trims, finished in material that matches the seats at shoulder height and the armrests. Wood grain and chrome-plated bars add style, while the functional parts, such as the inner door handle, door grip and switch panel, are designed in a single element.

New 3D Optitron meters are used on the main instrument panel, with a larger diameter for the main gauge for easier reading. The sub-gauges, crucial for SUV driving, are positioned in the centre of the panel, together with the multi-information display.

The steering wheel has a wide centre pad with large switches that are easy to use, even when wearing gloves. Operational parts such as the automatic transmission shift knob, door handles, and audio switches are also large and have an enhanced tactile quality.