Look at the 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser and you see echoes of the classic and much-loved
Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40. The FJ Cruiser not only pays homage to the FJ40, it
also looks back to the beginnings of Toyota, and to the beginnings of Toyota
in the USA. For not only did the Land Cruiser FJ40 help Toyota develop its engineering,
production and sales abilities here in the U.S. and elsewhere, but those abilities,
once developed, provided the foundation for the design, production and sales
of the automobile lines that followed the Land Cruiser.
While the FJ Cruiser's styling recalls the FJ40, the taproot of its family
tree stretches back past the FJ40 to a vehicle called the BJ, which descends
from a 1950 4x4 prototype called the AK10. The BJ was Toyota's first 4x4 utility
vehicle and was powered by the company's prewar B-type 75 hp engine. This sturdy
3.4L (206.6 c i.) six-cylinder unit, intended for use in medium-light trucks,
not only was perfect for the BJ but set a pattern the Land Cruiser line followed
for decades.
The BJ and the famed Willys Jeep had much in common. Both were tough, square-fendered
utility vehicles that consisted of basic open bodywork bolted to sturdy steel
ladder frames. Both used four-wheel drive. One important difference, however,
was that where the Jeep used a transfer case that offered low range, the BJ
didn't need a low range, thanks to the torque of its engine and a transmission
with a low 5.53:1 first-gear ratio.
As proof of the BJ's ability to cover challenging ground, in July of 1951 a
BJ piloted by Toyota test driver Ichiro Taira negotiated the trail up Japan's
12,388-foot-high Mt. Fuji all the way to Checkpoint six (there were, and still
are, 10 checkpoints on the trail to the top of Mt. Fuji), further up the mountain
than any motor vehicle ever had gone. Observers from Japan's National Police
Agency liked what they saw. They placed an order for a fleet of BJs. Government
forestry and utility agencies took notice and filed their own orders. Eventually
1,300 were built.
It was an important and successful first step, but there was another to come.
The vehicle's BJ designation just didn't have much poetry. After seeing the
vehicle cruise over the roughest ground they could throw at it, in 1954 company
officials came up with a much more musical and fitting name: Land Cruiser.
By now Toyota had developed a company motto that could easily be adopted today.
It was, "Good thinking, good products."
Part of that good thinking of course resulted in the Land Cruiser, and more
of it was evident when company officials decided to begin exporting the vehicle
as the Land Cruiser 20 Series, a basic 4x4 with neither top nor doors. Early
recipients of 20 Series vehicles were Brazil and Saudi Arabia, which were as
ready for the Land Cruiser as it was for them. Its toughness and go-anywhere
capabilities immediately were adopted, and the Land Cruiser began developing
its reputation.
In 1955 development of the BJ concept led to the BJ25, which featured a metal
top and doors, along with roll-down door windows. Amazingly, air conditioning
also was available. These attempts to bring a bit of civility to the BJ signaled
that Toyota had in mind larger markets than those represented by Japan's National
Police or public agencies in other countries. It intended to penetrate the civilian
market. And not just with this vehicle. According to the tenets of "The
Land Cruiser Strategy," the Land Cruiser was much more than merely another
vehicle to be sold. It was the point vehicle that established a base in each
new country into which Toyota moved so that the Land Cruiser could be followed
by Toyota passenger cars.
Meanwhile the old B-series engine was being phased out of production. Its replacement
was the F-type engine, a 3.8L (231.9 c.i.) 105 hp overhead-valve six-cylinder
gas unit. Use of that engine, starting in 1955, created the FJ25. For a time,
both BJ25s and FJ25s were produced, but with the end of B-series engine production,
production of BJ25s came to a close.
Much of what the world knows about Land Cruisers came from the 20 Series as
it was developed into an impressive variety of types designed to fit the needs
of each country into which it was imported. There were the standard hardtop
models, of course, but also pickups, station wagons, with long and short wheelbases,
with two doors and with four.
Land Cruisers quickly found their way to Venezuela, Malaysia, Kuwait, Jordan,
Dubai and Australia, where they were ideally suited to challenging driving conditions
in those countries. Finally, in 1958, Land Cruiser came to the United States.
Just one unit was sold in that first year.
That was about to change. In 1958 Land Cruisers were known by the model-name
FJ28V. But model-year 1960 brought engineering and styling changes that heralded
the birth of an icon. That's when the 20 Series took an evolutionary step into
the 40-series. The familiar fold-down windshield, solid axles and sturdy leaf
springs of the 25-series remained. But design revision provided the FJ40 with
its now-familiar flat, white top, angular lines, wrap-around rear windows and
fold-out rear doors, short overhangs, a horsepower boost to 125, a three-speed
transmission and the introduction of a two-speed transfer case. The change worked,
especially here in the U.S. From 1961 to 1965, the FJ40 was Toyota's best-selling
vehicle.
Early experience in developing countries amply illustrated the FJ40's suitability
as an exploration/expedition vehicle. Only one thing needed improvement: There
wasn't enough space in which to haul the fuel and supplies needed for long trips
– this notwithstanding the presence of the FJ45V, a long, four-door version
of the basic FJ40, which was built alongside the FJ40. So in 1967, responding
to calls for a Land Cruiser with more comfort, more capability and more cargo
capacity, the FJ45V was replaced with the four-door Land Cruiser 55 Series.
The 55 Series was a development of the 40 Series, using hardware lifted from
the 40 Series. But it rolled upon a wheelbase that was lengthened by 16 inches.
To satisfy those looking for more comfort than available from the 40 Series'
utilitarian interior, the 55 Series offered a padded dash, a fold-down rear
seat and seating for six.
The payoff came in production and sales numbers that nobody – at least
nobody outside Toyota – could have predicted. By 1968, Toyota had built
and sold 100,000 Land Cruisers. Demand for them was so great that assembly was
done in a number of countries outside of Japan, including Brazil and Pakistan.
The early 1970s were years of development of existing Land Cruiser models.
For instance, in 1975 all Land Cruisers received an enlarged 4.2L (256.3 c.i.)
B-series engine and with it, a new four-speed transmission. This engine underscored
the Land Cruiser's reputation for unstoppable torque, a critical element that
helped provide the Land Cruiser with its ability to crawl over obstacles on
challenging trails.
By now, Land Cruisers were an established part of rough-country life in the
United States. For miners, ranchers and surveyors, the Land Cruiser was the
vehicle of choice. In fact, in 1971 a Land Cruiser was driven the width of the
United States while surveying an off-road route.
By 1972, more than 200,000 Land Cruisers had been sold worldwide – and
300,000 by 1973.
There was play, or at least sport, as well as work: In 1974 a nearly stock
FJ40 won the grueling Baja 1000 off-road race. Its sole modification involved
its conversion for the use of propane, instead of gasoline, as fuel.
As the Land Cruiser's reputation grew, so too did the demand for it. As a result,
by 1977 a half-million Land Cruisers had hit roads and trails everywhere. But
time was closing in on the 40 Series, and also on the 55 Series. For all the
refinement it had received over its life span, the 40 Series remained fairly
Spartan. So 1983 was its final year of sales in the U.S. Production of the 55
Series ceased in 1979. Sales numbers, meanwhile, continued to reflect the popularity
and success of the Land Cruiser name. By 1980, 1,000,000 had been sold.
Meanwhile, Land Cruiser four-wheel-drive technology was expanding into other
Toyota lines. Most notable was the first 4x4 compact truck in the U.S., introduced
by Toyota in 1979. This vehicle won not only immediate public acclaim, but also
the prestigious "4WD of the Year" award from Pickup, Van & 4WD,
a leading off-road magazine of the time. The compact Toyota pickup, equipped
with its unbeatable 4x4 drivetrain, remained the best selling compact 4x4 in
the U.S. market for the next 14 years. In 1984 the popular 4Runner, developed
from the 4x4 pickup chassis, was introduced. Highlighting its Land Cruiser genetics,
it was built at the Araco Corp. plant in Toyota City, Japan, the home of Land
Cruiser production.
Land Cruisers, meanwhile, rolled on. The Land Cruiser 60 Series appeared in
1980 to replace the 55 Series. Production continued through 1989 and owners
found that not only did this larger, more commodious Land Cruiser continue to
uphold the brand's ability to cover rough ground, but that with basic maintenance,
an FJ60 easily would rack up hundreds of thousands of miles.
As 60 Series sales were growing, the Land Cruiser FJ40, discontinued in the
U.S. in 1979, was coming to the end of its road in the rest of the world. While
some segments of the worldwide 4x4 market continued to demand heavy-duty vehicles,
others, especially recreational users, made it clear they wanted a vehicle that
offered a bit more comfort than the 40 Series offered. Against these conflicting
notions and with very little in the way of a final flourish, Land Cruiser 40
Series production ceased in late 1984. The trusty old 40 Series immediately
was replaced by the much more modern 70 Series, production of which continues.
The basic Land Cruiser 70 Series had the two doors, solid axles and leaf springs
of the 40 Series, and it was engineered to be just as tough and durable as the
40 Series, but it received a five-speed transmission and rode upon a 91-inch
wheelbase – a four-door version received a 107-inch wheelbase. More important,
its interior was much more commodious than that of the 40 Series. It was built
in a variety of types and styles, each specific to its market and the needs
of its buyers.
The 60 Series wagon, meanwhile, underwent a complete makeover in 1989. It became
the 80 Series. This happened after company product planners noticed the 60 Series
increasingly was being used as a family vehicle. Owners wanted off-road capabilities
for active family weekends, but they also wanted the comfort and practicality
of a family sedan during the week.
The Land Cruiser 80 Series met those needs. With its launch in 1990, owners
could enjoy a comfortable ride, thanks to coil springs up front, as well as
to leather-trim seats, air conditioning, entertainment systems and mobile communications.
Safety also became more important with the adoption of airbags and ABS braking
systems.
Clearly, Toyota was doing something right: By 1990, it had sold 2 million Land
Cruisers worldwide.
In 1993, the 80 Series Land Cruiser was upgraded with a 24-valve, DOHC inline
six-cylinder engine displacing 4.5L (274.6 c.i.). This engine produced 212 horsepower
and 275 pound-feet of torque, and was more than capable of pulling Land Cruiser's
5,153 pounds of curb weight. The 80 Series Land Cruiser, with its smooth ride
and comfortable interior, seemed a long way from the FJ40 paradigm. But when
pointed down a rough trail, it displayed the same competence and reliability
that helped the FJ40 cement the Land Cruiser name into the public consciousness.
For the 1996 model year, Toyota launched a third Land Cruiser line, to be sold
alongside the 70 and 80 Series Land Cruisers. This was the Land Cruiser 90 Series,
also known as the Prado. The 90 Series was an evolutionary branch of the 70
Series. It therefore offered Land Cruiser's legendary capabilities, both on
the highway and off the road. But it was enhanced by independent front suspension
and coil springs in place of the solid front axle and leaf springs that had
provided suspension for so long. It also offered available fulltime four-wheel
drive with a locking center differential, a four-speed automatic transmission,
stability control and traction control. The appeal of the Prado/90 Series was
so great, and the demand so intense, that following its introduction, the Tahara
plant, in which it was built, operated 24 hours a day for six months straight.
It was this line that in 2002 was developed into the Land Cruiser 120 Series,
which includes the current 4Runner and Lexus GX470, which are not marketed in
the U.S. as Land Cruisers, but which share and benefit from Land Cruiser philosophy
and four-wheel-drive technology. And, in an interesting bit of family planning,
the 120 Series provides the foundation of the FJ Cruiser.
Beginning in 1998 the luxurious Land Cruiser 100 Series replaced the 80 Series.
It was larger, structurally more solid and substantially more powerful than
its predecessor. It featured the first V8 engine in a Toyota vehicle, a 4.7L
(286.8 c.i.), 32-valve DOHC producing 235 hp. For the 2006 model year, that
figure reached 275 hp. Plush though it may be, the 100 Series retains its Land
Cruiser credentials. For instance, it still has 80 percent of its torque available
at 1,100 rpm, and it still has the steep approach and departure angles required
for rough-country travel. But it also has high-tech touches like stability control,
anti-lock brakes and automatic vehicle height adjustment.
So there they are – the roots and branches of the Toyota Land Cruiser
family tree. The tree developed an amazing variety of branches, and each branch
was fruitful. It bore that original BJ and a long line of descendants that include
not only the fabled FJ40 and every Toyota 4x4 pickup, but also a well-developed
line of capable, comfortable Land Cruisers and their upscale Lexus 4x4 siblings
– and, finally, the new 2007 FJ Cruiser, a vehicle that carries within
it the technological DNA of that first Land Cruiser.
