With the aftermarket reaching peak levels of insanity for premium Landcruiser variants, and showrooms all but sold out as the world waits for the arrival of the LandCruiser 300, the iconic nameplate is perhaps the most hyped it has ever been. Fuelling the fire is Toyota’s most recent announcement: the LandCruiser 70th Anniversary Edition, of which just 600 will be made.
Available in white, red, and fan favourite ‘Sandy Taupe’, the 600 units will arrive in the form of 320 double cabs, 200 single cabs and 80 wagons. As purists would expect, changes to the exterior of the LandCruiser 70th Anniversary Edition have been kept to a minimum, with a black ‘heritage’ grille, front bumper and wheel-arch flares, darkened 16-inch alloy wheels, LED lights with darkened headlight surrounds, and ‘Heritage’ and ’70th Anniversary’ badging.
Inside the cabin, additions include ‘premium’ black cloth upholstery and leather accents (to what appears to be a revised steering wheel) and gear knob, with a lashing of woodgrain for good measure. A redesigned centre console features two cupholders and two extra USB ports and, reportedly, a 6.1-inch touchscreen from the GXL features, however isn’t included in the initial press imagery.
“The 70th Anniversary special-edition is a tribute to the many LandCruisers that came before it, helping Australians navigate our harsh and rugged environment, whether that’s through the desert, across the mountains or deep in the forest,” said Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia sales and marketing boss said in a media statement.
All three LandCruiser 70th Anniversary Edition models arrive with the familiar 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 producing 151kW and 430Nm to the wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Again, no automatic will be offered.
The LandCruiser 70th Anniversary Edition wagon will be priced at$78,500, the single-cab at $80,050 and the dual-cab at $82,600. Expect these to fly out the door and be touted the very next day for a serious premium.
