Toyota stopped taking orders for the Land Cruiser 70 some time ago to meet the backlog. But it seems that it will resume taking orders in 2023.
Recently, a lot has been said, and speculated, about the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series in the international markets (excluding the American market). Sometime around mid-2022, it was reported that the waiting period for a Land Cruiser 70 was somewhere around 2 ½ years in Australia. Well, that was not surprising as Australia is one of those few markets that still get a constant supply of the 70 Series, and is still head over heels in love with it.
Toyota has finally managed to cater to the demands and has cleared the backlog, and will soon start taking orders for the new models of the 70 Series, at least in Australia. However, it is still unclear what will eventually happen to the 4.5-liter turbodiesel V8 engine that was introduced for the first time in 2007 in the 70 Series. Toyota has already gotten rid of the V8 engine in some other models, and has replaced it with a twin-turbo V6 motor.
What’s Special About The Vintage Toyota Land Cruiser 70?
Recently, the Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Toyota Australia – Sean Hanley – hinted at the possibility of a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain for the future 70 Series Land Cruisers. The Land Cruiser 70 is one of the oldest and most trusted workhorses in the Australian market, and it has credentials that have helped it earned that badge. According to Hanley, Australians probably won’t mind a four-cylinder hybrid 70 Series as long as it does things people expect it to do. Where the hybrid 70 Series is not expected anytime soon, the V8 ‘should’ stay. At least for now. This will also mean that once bookings open, the 70 Series will be one of the last ‘new’ automobiles powered by a V8 engine.
According to Toyota Australia’s website, there has been an unprecedented demand of the 70 Series globally, and it may result in, “different specification and/or different price point at the time of delivery.” The three models available on Toyota’s Australian website are the production models that were made between August 2020 and August 2022. The ‘specifications’ section still says the SUV is powered by a 4.5-liter V8 turbodiesel. Which powertrain will eventually be chosen for the 2023 line-up, once Toyota Australia starts accepting orders, is something that needs to be watched closely.
Why Does Toyota Refuse To Change The Land Cruiser 70 Series?
Because that would have diluted the basic DNA of the 70 series. The Land Cruise 70 was designed to be driven around rural Australia, and navigate through any terrain Australia had to offer. The ladder frame gives it the robustness and durability that is needed while off-roading. From the time of its inception in 1984 and until now, the Land Cruiser 70 carried on with minimal updates except the ones that did not alter its basic character.
With time, the 70 Series did get some upgrades in the form of air conditioning, a touchscreen infotainment system, dual airbags, but that’s about it. The Toyota LC 70 always was a bare minimum SUV (and a pickup truck) and it still continues to be one. It still has bare minimum technology and electricals to make sure that it has much a reduced chance of breaking down than an average SUV of today. The current 70 Series does come equipped with traction and stability control, but if you consider these things to be a hindrance, you can switch them off.
Why Are The Loyalists Still Loyal To The Land Cruiser 70 Series?
Very few carmakers in the world know how to make cars that can withstand the test of time, and Toyota is a name somewhere up there in this coveted list. The 70 Series was made to be thrown around and not get battered in the process. It was meant to be driven around areas miles away from the tarmac. People embraced it with open arms and it continued to surpass the expectations decade after decade. The Toyota Land Cruiser 70 was reliable product and this was/is its USP.
With times changing, engines in the 70 Series changed too, but what didn’t change was the DNA. An LC 70 of today is as capable as the LC 70 from the 80s, or may be more. This is also why Toyota has no plan of discontinuing the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 in the markets where it currently exists. The current version boasts of 202 HP and 317 lb-ft that is delivered to the wheels using a basic five-speed manual transmission. If the future Toyota 70 Series gets a downsized engine or a hybrid powertrain (which is not happening anytime soon), it should not be a deterring factor in our opinion. Australia has been one of those markets where Toyota has enjoyed a cult status for a while now. This is also why Toyota opened a product center in the same facility in Victoria where it built over 2.5 million engines between 1978 and 2017 before it was shut down.
