Latest rumours suggest Toyota will drop the turbodiesel V8 from the LandCruiser 300 line-up and run a 2.8L instead. According to news from Japan’s Best Car magazine, a usually very reliable source of scoop information, Toyota will drop the turbodiesel…
According to news from Japan’s Best Car magazine, a usually very reliable source of scoop information, Toyota will drop the turbodiesel V8 from its line-up for the upcoming all-new LandCruiser 300 Series and replace it with a 2.8L diesel instead.
According to the report which is based on interviews with Japan-based Toyota dealerships, the V8 is being dropped in favour of petrol-electric hybrid, pure petrol engines and a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel from the Prado and HiLux. Toyota will carry on with a four-wheel drive layout with a six-speed automatic transmission as standard on the diesel engine and an eight-speed automatic for the hybrid and petrol engines. We already knew this and have reported on this rumour before but this is the first time we’ve had a hint the ‘Cruiser would only get a weedy turbodiesel.
That said, there’s some suggestion (read: hope) that given the popularity of the V8 diesel engine outside of Japan, where sales of the 200 Series have collapsed in recent months, the V8 will be dropped for the domestic market but could carry on in markets like Australia and the Middle East where demand for that engine is still strong.
The plan looks likely for the next-gen LandCruiser to move away from its ladder frame and adopt a version of the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), it’s claimed the minimum ground clearance of 225mm will be adhered to. In terms of the size, the new LandCruiser is likely to be about the same size as the current vehicle with claims that Toyota wants to keep it under five metres long and two metres wide.
The current interior seating option is likely to be retained and with the size of the vehicle likely to stay the same we’re not sure how much extra room the ‘Cruiser will offer.
In terms of looks, Japan’s Best Car magazine has rendered what it thinks the thing will look like and that magazine is usually just about spot on. It’s believed the grille will become smaller but that the squared-off shape of the current ‘Cruiser will carry over.
It was predicted we’d see the new LandCruiser in May but with coronavirus causing huge disruptions around the world, it’s likely the release will be put off until either very late this year or early next year. Stay tuned.
