The Toyota Land Cruiser. According to Toyota fans, that would be the best Jeep-like that Land Rover has never made.
Before these types of vehicles became obese and were decorated with luxury, they were tools, tools. They had to be able to function under the most minimalist conditions. And meanwhile, a Toyota Land Cruiser is (almost) as iconic as a Land Rover.
Reasons for success
Objective observers state that the global success of the big example, the Land rover, was mainly based on the fact that the all-rounders were distributed by what was then the United Kingdom. And that was about the time that 'England' was bigger than Europe could ever become. If the huge 'home market' was responsible for the Land Rover's success, the success of the Toyota Land Cruiser was only based on one thing: Reliability.
And that not all Toyota Land Cruiser's produced are still on the road has only one reason: Roest.
The Toyota Land Cruiser has stood for quality, durability and reliability for over 60 years. Three essential elements that have formed the building blocks for a now rich history. This history has led to the Landcruiser becoming almost an independent brand, perhaps just as strong as the Toyota brand itself. Toyota Land Cruiser's are therefore regarded worldwide as the very best all roads.
From 1955
The Landcruiser 1955 series was introduced in August 20. Since then, Toyota has begun the ever-greater variation of Landcruiser models through continuous orientation to customer requirements, for example worldwide: the first Toyota Land Cruiser station with a long wheelbase, both as 2 doors and 4 doors.
The Landcruiser 1960 series (J40) was introduced in 4 as the successor to the Landcruiser J2 & J3 and built until 1986. With this model, the Landcruiser is also known in Europe.
The Landcruiser 40 series has also been available in different wheelbases, the short Landcruiser 40, average 43 / 46 and the long 45 / 47 as Hard Top, Soft Top, station or as Pick-up. In Brazil, the 40 series was built and sold under license to 2001 under the name Toyota Bandeirante.
The 40 series was primarily a workhorse, and buyers in particular from the important US market are increasingly longing for a modern, comfortable SUV that offers sufficient space and could be used primarily for leisure.
Toyota responded to this and introduced a new Landcruiser - series of its own, the Landcruiser Station Wagon - with the Landcruiser J5 (FJ55 & 56) in 1967 - comfortable and sufficient power for public roads.
The HZJ75 version
Our protagonist is one from the 70 series, a HZJ75 version. It combines the long wheelbase with the indestructible 4,2 liter of non-blown six-cylinder diesel.
Because we are with AutoMotorKlassiek facing the harsh winter season again, that song tells the story of a wildly functional Land Cruiser 'Camper'. A kind of survival mobile 1.0. A tough box on leaf springs and with a non-blown 4,2 six-cylinder diesel. Owner Menno Weeda bought the base of his dream car in Austria with size 260.000 kilometers on the clock. And now he is completely happy.
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So come on: come from behind that screen and treat yourself with AMK number 11. Because research has shown that everything you learn from paper gives you more satisfaction and better retention.
In a museum in Birdwood (Australia) read that the Landcruiser was developed at the request of the US to contribute to the Korean war.
Just read elsewhere:
History of the Toyota FJ Series
The BJ25 was Japan's answer to the American Jeep and the British Land Rover. There's really no sugar-coating it: Toyota reverse-engineered the Jeep and perfected it within a decade. By the time the US started placing orders for the FJ to assist in the Korean War, the FJ had grown into the sturdy 4 × 4 we know and still love today. From 1955 through 1984, the FJ improved piece by piece, but still managed to maintain its now-iconic look and feel.
The Toyota FJ25 came around in the early 1950s, establishing Toyota as a global brand. It revolutionized the compact 4 × 4 market with its strong engine but relatively small chassis, a perfect combination for tackling the rough and tumble.