You don’t strictly need to know about what Toyota is doing to a niche model on the other side of the planet, but it’s hard to stop writing about the Land Cruiser 70 Series; a) because it’s among the oldest cars still in production, and is therefore unassailably cool in a world vacuously obsessed with newness, and b) its heritage speaks to a level of toughness that makes most modern-day equivalents look like the cast of Strictly Come Dancing. Also, it’s a slow Friday before a big storm and PH likes to muse on which car would be most comforting to own in a hurricane.
So it is with uncanny timing that Toyota Australia has announced that plans to extend the current range - which was comprehensively refreshed this time last year - with a new manual transmission have finally come to fruition. Granted, the gearbox is being introduced in part to cover the gaping hole where the three-pedal V8 turbodiesel used to sit (a version so manly you probably need to know the colour of the boathouse at Hereford to live up to it) but even that point simply confirms Toyota’s status as the one mainstream manufacturer actually dedicated to giving customers what they want.
“When we discontinued the V8 Land Cruiser 70 Series earlier this year, we know there were some customers lamenting the absence of a manual gearbox in the range, so we wanted to ensure we were able to offer all our customers a range of powertrain options and this new manual fits the bill perfectly,” noted Toyota Australia exec, Sean Hanley.
Even more perfect (as in perfectly attuned to the product), the chosen gearbox only features five speeds. Comforting for V8 owners making the transition - it only had five too - and conceptually satisfying because we like to imagine Toyota considering six ratios, and rejecting the last one as extraneous and decadent. The manufacturer says the new transmission has been designed to make the most of the engine’s torque output with shorter first, second and even third gears to enhance start-off performance, with a lengthened fifth aiding fuel economy when going from Sausage Gully to Humpybong.
The engine in question is the common-rail 2.8-litre four-pot fashioned specifically to suit the 70’s requirements, summoning up 204hp and 369lb ft of torque when twinned with the six-speed automatic. Somewhat disappointingly, and despite some additional strengthening, manual buyers will need to make do with only 332lb ft of the good stuff - but they can console themselves with $2,000 saving that the three-pedal derivative offers over the equivalent slusher. Accordingly, a GXL wagon will set you back $77,800 - or around £39k.
Toyota has neglected to provide pictures of the proud manual lever in its new setting, although it suggests that some centre console storage has been sacrificed to make space for it. A small price to pay for what is arguably one of the most beguiling off-roaders for sale anywhere in the world. Shame you’ll probably never see one, but food for thought when Storm Darragh starts to really blow on Saturday - especially with the first examples of the cutting-edge Land Cruiser we do get surfacing in the classifieds. Alternatively, you could always go the whole hog.
1 / 4
