media.toyota.co.uk
Updated: March 2012
TOYOTA LAND CRUISER V8
KEY POINTS
· Eighth generation of Toyota’s Land Cruiser large-scale SUV
· True go-anywhere 4x4, with body-on-frame construction
· 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel engine, revised with new diesel particulate filter for 2012
· 2012 model gains further advanced technologies for greater off-road driving capability
o World-first Turn Assist, reducing vehicle turning radius when negotiating tight bends
o Crawl Control with five speed settings for steep incline climbs and descents
o Multi-terrain Select with five modes to suit different off-road conditions
o Multi-terrain monitor providing 360-degree view of vehicle surroundings via four external cameras
o Tyre Angle Display
o Variable Flow Control power steering
· Toyota Touch Pro advanced multimedia and navigation system with voice command control, Bluetooth and rear-view camera
· New premium features for 2012 model including heated steering wheel, front seats with cooling and heating functions and memory settings, a powered upper tailgate section, new-design 20-inch alloy wheels and bi-xenon headlamps
· Six-speed automatic transmission with sequential manual gear change mode
· World-first 4-wheel Active Height Control and Adaptive Variable Suspension
· Multi-terrain ABS optimises braking control to suit driving conditions
· Hill-start Assist Control (HAC)
· Torsen limited slip centre differential
· Accommodates seven with tumble-fold second row and folding third row seats
· Pre-crash safety system and eight airbags as standard
· Protected by Toyota’s five-year/100,000-mile new vehicle warranty
IN BRIEF
The Land Cruiser V8 is the eighth generation of Toyota’s legendary Land Cruiser large-scale SUV and it remains true to its heritage in being a thoroughbred off-roader. More than that, it is equipped with world-first technologies to ensure safety, comfort and secure handling both in the rough and on the open road.
Toyota’s “no compromise” approach is evident in vehicle’s the traditional body-on-frame construction, crucial to its ability to tackle the toughest terrain. This tried and tested approach is matched by sophisticated handling, suspension and drivetrain systems that extend the off-road capabilities and enhance comfort and stability in normal driving.
V8 turbodiesel engine
The Land Cruiser V8 is powered by a 4.5-litre V8 turbodiesel engine, the first Toyota eight cylinder engine to feature common rail diesel injection technology. The unit was revised for 2012, most notably with the addition of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and new piezo injectors to ensure compliance with Euro 5 emissions standards. Maximum power is 268bhp (200kW) with maximum torque 650Nm.
Further to the changes made for 2012, carbon dioxide emissions were reduced to 250g/km and combined cycle fuel consumption improved to 29.7mpg. It is extremely tough, too, engineered to perform faultlessly in temperatures from -30 to +50°C.
The V8 is matched to a six-speed automatic transmission with a manual sequential gear selection mode. As befits a serious offroader, it incorporates low ratio gearing.
World-leading suspension and handling technology
The Land Cruiser V8 is one of the most technically advanced four-wheel drive vehicles ever produced and is equipped with a series of advanced dynamic and handling features. These were further extended for 2012 with the introduction of the world-first Turn Assist, which works in conjunction with the Crawl Control function, plus Multi-terrain Select (MTS), Multi-terrain Monitor and Tyre Angle Display.
These were added to a specification which included four-wheel Active Height Control and Adaptive Variable Suspension (4-Wheel AHC & AVS), a fully adjustable system that also provides spring rate control. Not only does this give exceptional performance off-road – wheel articulation is so great, the car can crawl over steps with a 630mm height difference without lifting a wheel off the ground – it also regulates pitch and body roll on-road to maintain ride comfort and refinement.
The full-time all-wheel drive has a transfer unit governing the distribution of torque between the front and rear axles, with a Torsen torque-sensing limited slip centre differential, which gives improved cornering performance and driving stability. The transfer shift system lets the driver move from H4 (high) gearing to L4 (low) gearing by means of a rotary switch on the dashboard, when the vehicle is moving at low speed (up to 3mph).
Rugged, modern design
The vehicle’s design was refreshed for 2012, notably at the front with a new grille, over-size bumper and headlamp arrangement. Likewise the rear LED light clusters were reworked and new door mirrors and side protection mouldings introduced. The cabin was also refreshed with a focus on raising the look and feel of the surfaces, trims and instrumentation, with attention paid to the ergonomics and functionality of the controls and switchgear.
Luxury specification
The Land Cruiser V8 may be engineered to cope with extreme environments, but the cabin is designed to provide premium levels of comfort, convenience and safety.
Its luxury specification, revised for 2012, includes four-zone climate control air conditioning, heated steering wheel, powered upper tailgate section, bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, leather upholstery and air conditioned front seats with heating and cooling function.
For 2012 the V8 also gains Toyota Touch Pro, advanced multimedia and navigation system with voice command control, online connectivity, advanced Bluetooth and a rear-view camera.
The flexible seven-seat interior is easily adapted to accommodate passengers or additional loads, with tumble-and-fold second row seats dividing 40:20:40 and the two rearmost seats folding to the side.
High safety standards
Occupants are protected by eight airbags, including front knee airbags and curtain shield airbags along the entire length of the cabin. Active safety provisions include multi-terrain ABS, which automatically adapts braking performance to suit the surface on which the vehicle is travelling. And to help minimise the consequences of an accident, a pre-crash safety system automatically tensions the driver and passenger front seatbelts when sensors detect a dangerous situation, such as the vehicle spinning or emergency braking.
LAND CRUISER V8 TIMELINE AND UK SALES
YEAR / MONTH / EVENT1951 / Launch of the first generation Land Cruiser in Japan, originally called the BJ
1952 / Land Cruiser becomes first Toyota passenger car to be exported from Japan.
1959 / Land Cruiser becomes the first Toyota model to be manufactured outside Japan, in Brazil.
1967 / Launch of the first Land Cruiser “Station Wagon” model (in the USA).
1975 / First official Land Cruiser sales in the UK.
1996 / December / Land Cruiser Amazon replaces the Land Cruiser 80 in the UK.
2008 / February / Land Cruiser V8 replaces Land Cruiser Amazon, offered in a single specification with a 286hp V8 diesel engine. It is the eighth generation of the larger, station wagon Land Cruiser models.
2009 / August / Improvements for 2010 model year include HDD satellite navigation with music library function; 14-speaker premium JBL sound system as standard; and Crawl Control system.
2011 / January / 60th Anniversary model introduced with additional styling features, black leather upholstery and premium ICE package.
2012 / March / 2012 Land Cruiser V8 equipped with additional systems for off-road driving; V8 engine revised with DPF to meet Euro 5 standards; additional equipment features; and introduction of Toyota Touch Pro. 60th Anniversary model is deleted from the range.
UK sales in 2010: 606.
Cumulative UK sales since launch (2008): 1,525
LAND CRUISER HERITAGE
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 V8
The Land Cruiser V8 is the eighth in a line of long-wheelbase, station wagon-style Land Cruisers. With a heritage going back 60 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 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.
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.
DESIGN
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 Land Cruiser V8 needed to respect this heritage, while bringing Toyota’s off-road image up-to-date.
It 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 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.
Exterior Styling
The Land Cruiser V8 underwent a series of styling modifications for 2012, changes that are most noticeable at the front of the vehicle with the introduction of a new over-size bumper with integrated fog lights and a new grille that pairs chrome and silver-finished horizontal bars across its width. In spite of the bumper’s large dimensions, the sharply trimmed lower section ensures the extent of the front overhang does not compromise the approach angle when driving off-road.
The headlamp units have been reconfigured, incorporating LED daytime running lights and cylindrical high and low beam High Intensity Discharge bi-xenon headlights.The turn indictors extend outwards, increasing their visibility to the side.
In profile, the foreshortening effect of the lower sections of new front and rear bumpers is clear to see, while the vehicle’s built-in toughness is reflected in thick new side protection mouldings with chrome detailing. The door mirrors have been revised, too, incorporating LED turn indicators and side view cameras linked to the new Multi-Terrain Monitor (see below). New-design 20-inch alloy wheels are also introduced for 2012.
At the rear the combination light clusters have been redesigned with a new double-cylinder form that echoes the look of the new headlamps. The turn indicators are more prominent and the reversing lights are relocated to be on a level with the licence plate trim.
As with the daytime running lights and door mirror turn indicators, power-saving LEDs are used for the rear lights, which have the added benefit of lighting up more quickly than conventional filament bulbs.
Land Cruiser V8 is slightly longer, taller and wider than the 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 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 Land Cruiser V8 is available in 10 exterior colours: Pearl White, Pure White, Tyrol Silver, Decuma Grey, Regency Red, Fir Green, Ixial Blue and Galaxy Black.
Interior
Function and form are the guiding principles for the interior, which has been designed to reflect the refinement and premium status of the Land Cruiser V8 while still allowing a sense of ruggedness and reliability. The cabin 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.