With Toyota’s upcoming LC300 finally primed and ready for launch the covers have been finally lifted on what we can expect to see under the bonnet in dealer lots later this year. Powered exclusively by the upcoming F33A-FTV engine the LandCruiser will have one of the smallest but most potent engines ever to wear the badge. At just 3.3L in capacity the twin turbo V6 punches out an impressive 227kW and 700Mm.
Helping make the small capacity turbo-diesel even more responsive is a hot vee design. Traditionally a V engines intake is on the inside of the V, and the exhaust ports on the outside. The F33A-FTV engine flips that with the exhaust ports pointing in allowing for shorter distances for the spent gases to travel before spooling up the twin turbos. The new turbo arrangement is different in design not just layout too. Where the previous 4.5L V8 had one turbo for each bank of cylinders, both working independently. The new engine has a small turbo spinning at low-rpms, before feeding into a larger turbo to put the real power down.
Toyota will be mating the new V6 to a new 10-speed automatic transmission in the LC300. Toyota have tightened the spread between gears across the range allowing the new engine to be at peak power or efficiency more often. It also features a lower first gear for more grunt off the line, and a taller top gear for lower revs at cruising speeds.
For off-road enthusiasts the new F33A-FTV should prove to be a winner with longer fuel ranges, more usable down-low power, and a new oil system design that’ll allow the ‘Cruiser to operate on a 45 degree angle without oil starvation issues. Is the Aussie public going to accept a V6 over the outgoing V8? Or have Toyota missed the mark? Let us know in the comments below
Quick Links
Recall issued on LC200 for compliance issues – UNSEALED4X4
Should you buy a V8 LC200 before they’re gone for good – MR4X4
My newly purchased LC300 Sahara arrived in April 2022. I hooked up my 2,700kg caravan after the car had done just over 3,000km. We headed to Gove and various National Parks in the Northern Territory, traveling over 10,000km in a little over 6 weeks. Obviously, there was no issue on the bitumen, with the car doing everything that I expected. We did approximately 1,400km on very rough dirt roads on which farmers were moving cattle (mainly with three or four trailers). We let down our tires on both the car and caravan to around 25psi and traveled at a speed of 40 to 60 km/hr. I was exceptionally pleased to see the car took the corrugations in its stride and continued to give us a reasonably comfortable ride. I was extremely pleased with its performance – it is nice to know that our car is as good as they say it is. I highly recommend the LC300, in particular the Sahara, to anyone who is considering purchasing this vehicle. Average fuel consumption for the trip, with no caravan attached was 8.2 Lt per 100kl (at times 7.5lt )with the caravan attached was 17lt per 100kl. My 200 series was 10Lt empty (at times 9.7 Lt) and 19lt or with the van on, clearly the 300 gives better economy as well it hold gears when going up hills (better torque). Toyota did not spend all that money testing the 300 for 3 or more years in Australia for nothing, they have come up with a better vehicle all round.