The Toyota Land Cruiser is one of the most beloved 4X4 vehicles of all time. It’s practically an icon.
But what is it about this particular design and brand that has been getting enthusiasts juices flowing for 70 years now? Is it something tangible or is it more of an ephemeral ‘magic’ that only comes along once in a generation?
More importantly, what is it about the 80 Series Land Cruiser, first launched in the 1990s, that cemented this design as a true icon of the industry?
The History of the Land Cruiser
The origins of the Land Cruiser lie in the Japanese military, with the army asking Toyota to essentially reverse engineer the classic American Jeeps that were used by the US military during the Second World War.
Years later, in the 1950s, with WWII over and the Korean War on the horizon, there was a high demand for light, utility off-road vehicles and Toyota filled the order.
The result was the BJ prototype, which formed the basic framework of what was to become the Land Cruiser.
By the mid-1950s, the Toyota Jeep BJ was seen as a resounding success but it was far from perfect.
It wasn’t until the next generation that the design was to start approaching what we know and love today. This was designed to have a more civilian focused appeal and was stylish, comfortable, and easy to drive.
All it needed was a name and technical director Hanji Umehara was inspired by the name of the Land Rover. The rest, as they say, is history.
The J80 Series
Manufactured between 1990 and 2008, the Land Cruiser 80 series was first unveiled towards the end of the 80s at the Tokyo Motor Show and offered a sleeker and more rounded approach to 4X4 design than had been seen up to that point.
It could be argued that the 80 Series essentially set the standard for all mainstream 4X4 vehicles to follow and to this day, it remains a gold standard, with the modern J200 series paying more than a little lip service to this titan of off-road driving.
It was this model that cemented the models’ journey from military-first to consumer-first, with the leaf springs replaced by softer coil springs and a centre differential that allowed it to run in 4WD at all times.
It’s also slightly bigger than its forebears and a lot heavier, giving off a safer and more secure vibe than its more militaristic counterparts.
It’s the interior that changed the game though, with more stylish designs and a focus on comfort that made it a desirable vehicle for everyone – from serious off-road drivers to school-run mums.
Today, the Land Cruiser 80 Series continues to be an in-demand vehicle in second-hand circles and can be quite comfortably customised with any number of 4X4 upgrades and accessories to help it perform like a 2020 machine even if it was built in 1999.
It’s the definition of timeless and is a model we can’t see losing fans anytime soon, even as we move on into the third decade of the 21st century.
Images: Fernando Privitera / Shutterstock.com, Suvorov_Alex / Shutterstock.com
