2008 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 Petrol & Diesel: High Res Images & Press Release

Toyota has just revealed the all-new 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser V8 which will make its worldwide premiere at the Australian International Motor Show on October 11. We’ve already seen official pictures of the new Land Cruiser thanks to Toyota’s official Hondura website (Central America) that were accidentally uploaded in August. Since our readers are scattered around the world, we though it'd be useful if we shared with you the Japanese, Australian and European press release –Toyota USA hasn’t issued anything yet.

Built on a completely redesigned platform with a body-on-frame design –yes, it’s based on the 2008 Lexus LX 570, the Land Cruiser’s overall length has been increased to 4,950mm (194.9-inches) while the wheelbase has been kept to 2,850 mm (112.2-inches) . The height varies between 1,865mm and 1,910mm depending on the suspension featured on the model, the width of the model is reaching 1,970mm (77.6-inches). -Continued after the jump

In Australia, Europe and Japan the Land Cruiser will be offered with an improved 4.7 VVT-i V8 petrol engine, combined with a 5 speed automatic transmission, which develops 445 Nm at 3400 rpm (328-lbs/ft) and 288 hp at 5400 rpm. This petrol engine has a fuel consumption of 14.4 L/100km (16.3 mpg US), a 12% improvement, based on the European combined cycle. Additionally, the 2008 Land Cruiser will be offered with a brand new 4.5 D-4D V8 diesel engine in Australia and Europe.

The diesel engine, which is combined with a new 6 speed automatic transmission, develops 650 Nm from 1600 to 2800 rpm (479.4-lbs/ft) and 286 hp at 3600 rpm. This diesel engine has a fuel consumption of 10,2 L/100km (23.0 mpg US), a 4% improvement versus the outgoing 4.2 TD L6 engine, based on the European combined cycle.

It remains unknown whether Toyota will offer the Land Cruiser in the US with the Lexus LX 570’s 381 Hp 5.7 V8 or with the 288 Hp 4.7 V8 that the rest of the world gets.

European Press Release

The all-new Toyota Land Cruiser V8, king of all roads.

The new Land Cruiser V8, Toyota’s top of the range model, is to make soon its debut on the European market. This eighth generation retains all the world-beating off-road capability of its predecessors but adds more refinement, comfort and superior driving quality.

Land Cruiser chief engineer, Sadayoshi Koyari, explains the development theme of this new generation as follow: “For more than 50 years now three key words have been the basis of each generation of Land Cruiser: strength, durability and reliability. Therefore, rather than opting for revolutionary change, we decided to carry on the sense of trust in the Land Cruiser as the basic concept. With the latest generation we had to recognise the loyalty of Land Cruiser customers by providing a vehicle that will not betray their trust.”

Built on a completely redesigned platform with a body-on-frame design, the length of the new model has been increased to 4950mm while the wheelbase has been kept to 2850 mm. The height varies between 1865mm and 1910mm depending on the suspension featured on the model, the width of the model is reaching 1970mm.

The new Land Cruiser will be available with a brand new 4.5 D-4D V8 diesel engine, combined with a new 6 speed automatic transmission, which develops an impressive 650 Nm from 1600 to 2800 rpm and 286 hp at 3600 rpm. This diesel engine has a fuel consumption of 10,2 L/100km, a 4% improvement versus the outgoing 4.2 TD L6 engine, based on the European combined cycle.

The model will be also available with an improved 4.7 VVT-i V8 petrol engine, combined with a 5 speed automatic transmission, which develops 445 Nm at 3400 rpm and 288 hp at 5400 rpm. This petrol engine has a fuel consumption of 14.4 L/100km, a 12% improvement, based on the European combined cycle. Both engines are fully compliant with Euro IV emissions regulations.

Advanced new technologies to make new Land Cruiser V8 a genuine, go-anywhere off-road vehicle include:

  • The world first Crawl Control system, available in combination with the petrol engine, which automatically controls the engine and the brakes to maintain a very low speed, avoiding spinning and locking. The driver only needs to steer the vehicle when driving in extreme off-road situations.
  • The world first 4-Wheel Active Height Control and Adaptive Variable Suspension (4W AHC & AVS)*, which links all four wheels’ suspension system for the first time and also provides a new spring rate control system.
  • The European first Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS)*, which actively operates the front and rear stabiliser bars based on a pair of hydraulic control cylinders.
  • A newly developed centre Torsen® Limited Slip Differential (LSD).
  • * Availability is depending on market conditions.

The new model will feature a wide range of advanced safety features like the newly developed Multi Terrain Anti-lock Brake System, the Vehicle Stability Control, the Electronic Brake-force Distribution and 14 Airbags.

The new Land Cruiser V8 will be unveiled in Europe at the St-Petersburg Motor Show (Russia) on October 24th. Sales of the model are starting today in Japan while the European sales start will be as of December 2007.

Australian Press Release

NEW LANDCRUISER: WORLD MOTORSHOW PREMIERE IN SYDNEY

  • Australia chosen for motorshow debut
  • Petrol and turbo-diesel V8 engines
  • Australian-developed KDSS suspension system
  • World's first "crawl control" system
  • Multi-terrain anti-skid braking system
  • Stronger and bigger
  • Enhanced performance on all surfaces

Toyota's completely redesigned LandCruiser wagon will have its global motorshow debut in Sydney next month before going on sale in November.

The new LandCruiser, to be known as the 200 series, will offer more powerful petrol and diesel V8 engines as well as other new technologies that enhance its performance.

New LandCruiser will be unveiled at the Australian International Motor Show on October 11.

Toyota Australia's senior executive director sales and marketing David Buttner said Australia was chosen for LandCruiser's motorshow debut over the recent Frankfurt motor show in Germany.

"This is a real coup for Australia," Mr Buttner said.

"It reflects the vital role Australia has played in the development of LandCruiser over almost 50 years," he said.

"LandCruiser has helped Toyota establish a deep connection with many of Australia's rural and regional communities - a connection that continues today.

"It has been a key factor in building the foundations for the market leadership that Toyota enjoys today in this country."

New LandCruiser is 60mm longer, 30mm wider and the roofline is 15mm higher - with styling changes that give it an even more powerful presence.

The platform has been completely redesigned and retains a full-frame structure, which has been strengthened to increase safety, reduce noise and vibration and enhance interior comfort.

A double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs replaces the previous torsion-bar set-up, improving handling and stability.

In another breakthrough for Australia, the new LandCruiser is available with the Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) - originally developed by WA company Kinetic.

This hydraulic system, used for the first time in a Toyota, controls the front and rear stabiliser bars to provide excellent on-road stability.

KDSS also provides outstanding off-road performance through a larger suspension stroke achieved by effectively disabling the stabiliser bars.

Australian LandCruiser models will feature the choice of a new turbo-diesel V8 engine or a V8 petrol engine improved through intelligent variable valve timing.

Both engines have considerably more power than their predecessors while the turbo-diesel engine offers a dramatic increase in torque.

New LandCruiser petrol models feature the world's first "crawl control" system for driving on surfaces such as rocks, sand or steep hills.

Toyota's CRAWL automatically controls the engine and brakes to maintain very low speeds with minimal spinning or locking of the wheels.

It allows for delicate speed adjustments between approximately 1km/h and 5 km/h. Three speed settings can be selected by the simple turn of a dial.

This allows the driver to have a greater focus on steering and is also effective at extracting the vehicle if it becomes stuck.

LandCruiser can split power between the front and rear wheels through a Torsen® limited-slip centre differential built into the transfer unit of its full-time all-wheel-drive system.

A newly adopted multi-terrain anti-skid braking system provides excellent braking performance even on dirt roads, gravel and sand.

Safety advances include the stronger body structure, vehicle stability control and up to 10 airbags - front, side and knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, side airbags for the outboard second-row seats and curtain shield airbags for all three rows.

Inside, LandCruiser offers more space for up to eight people.

Available features include Smart Entry and Smart Start, Bluetooth™ mobile-phone connection, satellite navigation and steering wheel controls.

Next year, LandCruiser will celebrate its 50th anniversary in Australia - marking the arrival of the first two-door LandCruiser FJ25s that worked on the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme in 1958.

Japanese Press Release

Toyota Launches Fully Redesigned 'Land Cruiser' in Japan

Tokyo — TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today the launch in Japan of the completely redesigned "Land Cruiser" full-size, top-of-the-line SUV.

The new Land Cruiser, designed under the theme "The King of Four-Wheel Drives", features a new platform and suspension, 4.7-liter V8 engine with VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent) and new technologies that enhance all-around driving performance. As a result, the Land Cruiser's traditional durability, reliability, off-road performance and other basic functions have been raised to a new level.

In addition, VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), SRS (Supplemental Restraint System) side and curtain shield airbags and a newly developed Active Headrest—all standard—combine with an optional advanced Pre-crash Safety System to achieve safety performance at the highest levels in its class.*

Vehicle Outline

Advanced Basic Performance

The Land Cruiser's completely redesigned platform retains a full frame structure ensuring strength and durability with approximately 1.4 times greater torsional rigidity and approximately 1.2 times greater flexural rigidity. This also serves to increase collision safety while reducing on-road noise and vibration, contributing to enhanced interior comfort.

The suspension provides outstanding handling and cruising stability both on-road and off-road, making for a comfortable ride. A newly developed coil spring, high-mounted, double wishbone suspension in front replaces the previous torsion bar type, while the rear suspension retains the acclaimed four-link type, with optimized control arm placement and tuning.

The 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE V8 gasoline engine features VVT-I, raising the compression ratio (from 9.6:1 to 10.0:1) and maximum engine speed (from 4,800rpm to 5,400rpm), substantially increasing output (up 39kW [53PS]) to provide driving performance with power to spare.

The 5 Super ECT (Super Intelligent, Electronically-controlled, Five-speed Automatic Transmission) Sequential Shiftmatic transmission allows the driver to enjoy a manual-transmission-like sensation.

To match the substantial increase in engine output, the front and rear ventilated-disc brakes are a larger 17 inches (compared to a previous 16 inches) and feature outstanding anti-fading performance.

New Technologies and Equipment that Enhance All-around Driving Performance

'Crawl Control' System

The world's first* "crawl control" system is standard on all models. When driving on surfaces that require delicate speed adjustments such as on rocks or sand and on steep hills, the engine and brakes are automatically controlled to maintain a very low speed, minimize wheel spinning and locking, and provide outstanding vehicle stability. The system maintains vehicle speed at approximately 1km/h to 5km/h, and three speed settings can be selected by the simple turn of a dial. This allows the driver to focus on steering and is also effective at helping the driver get the vehicle out when it becomes stuck.

As of August 2007, as surveyed by TMC

Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS)

Japan's first* kinetic dynamic suspension system—standard on the "G Selection" model—uses hydraulics to optimally control the front and rear stabilizers depending on the driving conditions, providing excellent vehicle stability for on-road driving through the use of the stabilizers and outstanding off-road performance by disabling the stabilizers off-road for greater suspension stroke.

As of August 2007, as surveyed by TMC

Torsen® LSD*

The center differential built into the transfer unit of the full-time all-wheel drive system is a newly developed Torsen® LSD (standard on all models). During normal cruising, the Torsen® LSD distributes drive power to the front and rear based on a 40/60 split that favors the rear wheels, but can also instantaneously change a 50/50 split to a 30/70 split in drive power distribution to match road conditions. This delivers outstanding vehicle stability as well as smooth starting, acceleration and cornering on all road surfaces.

"Torsen" is a registered trademark of JTEKT Corporation; Torsen LSD stands for "torque sensing limited slip differential."

Multi-terrain ABS

A newly adopted multi-terrain ABS (Anti-lock Brake System)—standard on all models—provides excellent braking performance even on dirt roads, gravel and sand.

HAC

The newly adopted HAC (Hill-start Assist Control)—standard on all models— minimizes vehicle roll-back when starting on steep hills or climbing slippery surfaces by controlling brake fluid pressure as the driver's foot is removed from the brake to the accelerator.

Class-leading Safety Performance

The Land Cruiser adopts an advanced GOA (Global Outstanding Assessment) collision-safety body that has been improved to meet stricter-than-normal conditions by incorporating the concept of omni-directional compatibility. Through the use of a body that effectively absorbs collision impact by diffusing it throughout its structure, Toyota satisfied all independent targets for survival space and occupant injury.

Improvements in the body structure further reduce the likelihood of pedestrian head injuries in an effort to achieve one of the highest levels of injury prevention in this vehicle class.

In addition to VSC, dual-stage SRS airbags for the driver and front passenger seat, SRS knee airbags for the driver and front passenger seat, SRS side airbags for the driver, front passenger and second-row seats and SRS curtain shield airbags that cover the front through to the third-row seats, are standard on all models.

Also adopted as standard equipment is an Active Headrest for the driver and front passenger seat, which shifts to an appropriate position in order to lessen the stress on the neck and reduce the risk of whiplash injury sustained during a rear-end collision.

The advanced Pre-crash Safety System employs near simultaneous responses to sudden braking (standard on the "G Selection" model) and millimeter wave radar (optional on the "G Selection" model).

Outstanding Environmental Performance

With engine output significantly increased, efforts were made to improve fuel efficiency to reduce CO2 emissions. The new Land Cruiser boasts a fuel efficiency of 6.6km/l in the 10-15 test cycle outlined by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) with CO2 emissions under the test cycle just 352g/km, achieving the level called for by the Japanese 2010 standards*. Both NOx (nitrogen oxides) and NMHC (non-methane hydrocarbons) have also been reduced, meaning all vehicles have emissions levels 50% lower than the 2005 standards under MLIT's Approval System for Low-emission Vehicles.

Toyota employed Eco-VAS (Eco-Vehicle Assessment System)—its original comprehensive environmental impact assessment system—to efficiently achieve overall reduction of environmental impact throughout the vehicle's entire lifecycle.

A review of the materials, processing methods and adhesives used for interior parts resulted in a reduction in the amount of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) used, thereby also reducing the unpleasant odors emitted from such compounds and achieving the Japanese automobile industry's voluntary goals.

* Specified by the Japanese Law Concerning the Rational Use of Energy

New Equipment that Enhances Comfort and Security

In anticipation of operation under extreme weather conditions, air conditioning performance has been enhanced by adopting fully automatic independent temperature controls for four areas (the driver and passenger side and the front and rear) as standard on all models and a pollen removal mode that filters out pollen, dust and other impurities from the air.

An optional 30GB high-capacity HDD navigation system with a high-resolution 8-inch wide display is compatible with the advanced "G-BOOK ALPHA Pro" telematics service and offers Bluetooth-compatible hands-free telephone communication1 and numerous other multimedia functions. The audio/visual system includes an integrated AM/FM radio with an in-dash, six-disc DVD/CD changer with MD player and nine speakers. The NAVI-AI2 Shift Control System uses road information from the navigation system for optimal gear shift control.

The Smart Entry & Start System is standard on all models and uses a key that does not need to be removed from the driver's pocket to lock and unlock the doors, as well as a push button for starting the engine.

The redesigned total package increases the interior length by 175mm.

The redesigned seats achieve greater comfort as well as functionality. The heated front seats feature free temperature control (standard on the "G Selection" model) compared to two temperature settings previously. The second-row seats (6:4 split) have a 105mm slide function and new reclining backrests that fold in a 4:2:4 split. The authentic leather ("G Selection" model) second-row left and right seats are heated. The third-row seats (5:5 split) offering an "extra space" function that lifts the seats up and folds them away with just a single touch.

An antitheft system with enhanced security functions—standard on all models—features an engine immobilizer system and an auto alarm function fitted with an intrusion sensor and tilt sensor.

1. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Sig, Inc.

2. Navigation/Artificial Intelligence Shift Control System

Interior and Exterior Designs that Convey the Reliability of the Land Cruiser

The interior and exterior designs were created based on the Toyota brand design philosophy "Vibrant Clarity". The Land Cruiser identity is maintained with an exterior design that seeks to combine reliability with a sense of advancement, while the interior boasts the advanced features of a full-scale four-wheel drive vehicle and a sense of quality and precision to express dependability.

The front view is a modern expression of the traditional Land Cruiser look. The increased vertical thickness expresses the powerful structure and character of a high-end SUV.

The side view emphasizes solidity with a strong horizontal axis, while a new form that merges the front and rear fenders into the body emphasizes the presence of the wheels and expresses dynamism and advancement.

The rear view features combination taillights that project from the body and a bumper integrated with the body to convey a wide feel and sense of stability.

The largely horizontal instrument panel creates a sense of expansiveness in the cockpit and allows the driver to easily determine any tilting of the vehicle.

The center cluster expresses strength with holding bars on its sides that have the quality of sculpted metal.

The steering wheel features a stability-exuding design characterized by its large pad, while large switches embedded in metallic bezels achieve both functionality and a sense of quality.

Two new body colors—a dynamic and glossy Gold Mica Metallic and a high-gloss Green Mica Metallic—have been added for a total of seven colors.