By Tracey King
As a result, and somewhat incredibly, I got to drive five generations of classic Land Cruisers in one day. Of all the Land Cruisers here, this was by far my favorite. See all 107 photos See all 107 photos1991-1997 Toyota FJ80 Land CruiserIt's hard to think of '90s-eras cars as old. Coil springs at all four corners are the Land Cruiser's first major concession to on-road civility. See all 107 photos See all 107 photos1998-2007 Toyota UZJ100 Land CruiserOf all the heritage Land Cruisers, the UZJ100 (named for its UZ-series V-8 engine) was the easiest to drive and the hardest to write about.
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If I had to pick just one Toyota Land Cruiser to own, it would be the FJ60. Corsetti Cruisers Corsetti CruisersSo I'm extra-excited to hear that California-based Land Cruiser restorers Corsetti Cruisers has announced they will be doing a new series of Land Cruiser builds. Corsetti Cruisers swaps out the classic Land Cruiser engine for GM's LS3 6.2-liter V8 crate engine, mated to a four-speed automatic. According to Corsetti Cruisers, their FJ60 build can earn 22 to 24 mpg on the highway. This Land Cruiser had rear jump seats added behind the second row.
The classic Toyota FJ Land Cruiser is a bona fide collector 4X4, and values have continued to rise each year for the past decade. The classic FJ is a capable and fun all-terrain vehicle, but it is severely lacking in creature comforts. In the same vein but with modern technology and stle, you just might catch a future collector 4X4 before it takes off in value with the Pick of the Day, a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. The FJ Cruiser was first shown as a concept car in January 2003 at the Detroit North American Auto Show. This FJ Cruiser is offered on ClassicCars by a dealer in Kentwood, Michigan, and is described as a “very low-mileage 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser with just over 45k miles and in exceptional condition both inside and out.”The FJ is finished in Sun Fusion yellow over a black interior and is highly optioned, quite far from basic.
In Australia and Africa, those who speak of the ‘Landie’ are not referring to the all-conquering British icon, but rather the Toyota Land Cruiser. Between the 1950s and 1980s, the FJ was employed as an inexpensive yet reliable workhorse throughout Africa, Australia and the United States. During this period, an equivalent Land Rover Defender cost around twice as much in South Africa. However, with a technically solid drivetrain, including an enjoyable six-cylinder petrol engine, many were used until the body collapsed into dust. Homage to a hero: Toyota FJ CruiserIn 2003, the FJ’s story continued when a toy-like design study shown at the Detroit Motor Show proved so popular that Toyota was almost forced to put it into production.
Rough and tough, yet classic and cool, the Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser holds a very special place in the heart of auto enthusiasts across the world. Here at The FJ Company, we share that enthusiasm and love of these iconic vehicles. We are deeply focused on delivering authentic, high-end custom Land Cruisers – creating modern versions of this classic ride for today’s driver. Select from one of our 40 series models below, or work with us to build your own custom 60 or 70 series rig.
The Toyota Land Cruiser is a Japanese manufactured car offering four-wheel drive capabilities to customers all over the world. Toyota Land Cruiser: Military and Off-Road HistoryModels of the Toyota Land Cruiser first appeared in 1953 under a different name – the Toyota Jeep BJ. Toyota also began producing off-road civilian vehicles in 1955 with the Series 20 models, including the Land Cruiser FJ25 and BJ25. Optimising the Toyota Land Cruiser for ComfortToyota released a number of models oriented more towards comfort in 1967, starting with the production of the Land Cruiser 55 between 1967 and 1980. The end of the 60 Series production run coincided with the launch of the curvy Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series, announced a year earlier at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Moreover, it is a modern classic, inspired by the original Land Cruiser FJ40, so prices are only going to go up. The FJ Cruiser shares the platform with the Prado, but the retro-futuristic styling is a modern interpretation of the 1960 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser, which is already an appreciating classic. The FJ Cruiser was highly-spec’d with an original sticker price of $34,604 back in 2012. As far as 4X4s go, the FJ Cruiser is one of the most recognized and rugged models out there. Whether you would like to resell or keep it, the FJ Cruiser is a quirky future classic.
Born in 1951 as Toyota’s version of the Jeep, regular production of what was to become the Land Cruiser began in 1953. In 1954 the four-wheel Toyota Jeep BJ was renamed the Land Cruiser. Originally designed as a light military utility vehicle, subsequent redesigns throughout the 1950s saw the vehicle become more appealable to the civilian market, and by 1965 it was the best-selling Toyota in the United States. The J40 series was launched in 1960 with both BJ and FJ models. The popular J40 was a two-door short wheelbase four-wheel drive vehicle, coming with either a soft or a hardtop; it was produced between 1960 and 1984.
