Toyota's first model - Land Cruiser
When the Korean War broke out in 1950, there was a need to equip the police with light off-road vehicles. Toyota won the tender and began development. Just 5 months later, the company presented a prototype - an all-wheel drive vehicle with a 6-cylinder engine with 82 hp. With. and a three-speed manual transmission. It was this model that became the first ancestor of the legendary Land Cruiser Prado.
By 1953, almost 300 SUVs were produced and soon manufacturers began thinking about new models. In 1954, by the way, the cars were called Land Cruiser (before that they were called Toyota BJ).
Chronology [edit | edit code]
- 1950 - The Korean War created demand for light military SUVs. The US government announced a tender for 100 vehicles. Toyota did not participate in this tender. In the second half of the year, Toyota passed the tender commission for a contract to produce Jeep vehicles for the National Police.
- 1953 - Production of the first all-wheel drive car in Toyota history, the Toyota BJ, began.
- 1954 - Toyota BJ
became known as
Land Cruiser
.
The name “Land Cruiser” was invented by the company’s technical director, Henji Umehara: “In England we had another competitor - Land Rover. I needed to come up with a name that was no less sonorous than our competitors. Therefore, I decided to call the car Land Cruiser (“Land Cruiser”). - 1955 - start of production of Land Cruiser BJ20.
- 1960 - Land Cruiser 40 series
replaces Land Cruiser 20 series. - 1961-1965 - production crossed the 50,000 mark. Best selling car in the USA.
- the Toyota Land Cruiser 55 series
began , produced in parallel with the Land Cruiser 40 series model. - 1980 - Toyota Land Cruiser 55 series replaced by Land Cruiser 60 series
. - 1984 - appearance of ' Toyota
Land Cruiser 70 series' . - 1987 - appearance of the first generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.
- Toyota Land Cruiser 80
debuts . - 1996 - production of the first Toyota all-terrain vehicle with a fully independent front suspension began - Land Cruiser 90 Prado
. - 1998 — Land Cruiser 100
. - 1999 - Receives independent climate control for rear passengers.
- 2000 - 50th anniversary of Land Cruiser
. 191,000 cars sold this year. A total of 3.72 million vehicles were sold. - 2001 - minor equipment modernization.
- 2002 — Land Cruiser 120 Prado
. - 2008 - Land Cruiser 200
replaces the Land Cruiser 100. - 2009 - Land Cruiser 150 Prado
replaces the Land Cruiser 120 Prado.
Toyota Land Cruiser: 20 and 40 series
In 1955, the second generation of cars was introduced. External changes were minor, but thanks to the changes inside, the SUV could safely claim to be used not only by the military, but also by ordinary people.
The first Land Cruiser 40 model appeared on the markets in 1960. The main change was the addition of a transfer case.
Land Cruiser 100 105 [edit | edit code]
Land Cruiser 100 105 (1997-2008) An SUV belonging to the Station Wagon class according to the automaker’s internal classification, was presented in 1997 at the Tokyo International Motor Show, after which its production began, and sales started in early 1998. The Land Cruiser 100 was technically a classic frame SUV with a traditional arrangement of units and an independent torsion bar front suspension (only the GX (Land Cruiser 105) configuration had a dependent front suspension (axle and springs).
Toyota Land Cruiser 100 was equipped with a 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE petrol V-shaped 8-cylinder engine and two diesel engines (4.2-liter cylinder block, existed in two versions with a turbocharger 1HD-T and a more powerful 1HD-FTE) . 1HD-T is almost impossible to find outside the Arab market. Land Cruiser 105 was also equipped with a 12-valve 1HZ diesel engine without a turbine. The transmissions offered for the Land Cruiser 100 are a 4-speed automatic (since 2002.08 a 5-speed automatic transmission was installed) and a 5-speed manual.
For Arab countries, a version with a 4.5-liter (FZJ100) gasoline engine 1FZ-FE was offered, which in a slightly modified form was inherited from the Land Cruiser 80. The 4.5 engine was also installed on the Land Cruiser 105. For the US market, cars were supplied only with gasoline engines 2UZ-FE.
In 2003, the SUV underwent restyling: the radiator grille changed (the grille became wider and is in direct contact with the bumper, whereas previously there was a strip of metal between them), the bumper, and the interior trim. The steering rack mount has changed, and the threads on the tie rods and ends have changed. A 5-speed automatic transmission appeared.
In 2005, the SUV underwent a second restyling: the optics changed (the turn signal was made monolithic with the headlight, the low- and high-beam lamps inside the headlight were placed horizontally, and not on top of each other), the grille, rear brake lights, and interior trim. For the US market in 2005, the car received a 2UZ-FE engine with a VVT-i system.
Land Cruiser 70 and 90 series
In 1984, a fundamentally new Land Cruiser was released. The engineers approached the 70 series extremely responsibly in view of the competition in recent years. Manufacturers offered two types of cars - light type and high power. The latter, Heavy Duty, became a true classic and were produced until 2007. And from the light series I remember the Land Cruiser 70 Light, which after some time was renamed the Land Cruiser 70 Prado.
The 70th series became a real hero of its time, so it received a number of modifications. The main ones presented us with a lightweight compact version with spring suspension and a heavy one with spring suspension and a powerful engine.
The modifications also affected the body; we were especially pleased with models with the index 70, 71, 72. They were three-door cars with removable plastic roofs, turning the SUV into a beautiful beach convertible.
Later, the 73 series appeared, distinguished by a windshield that folded onto the hood.
The 74 series featured a mid-wheelbase version of Toyota with a removable hard top. And the 75 did not stand out in anything remarkable, except for the fact that it received the nickname Wagon due to its rather large body.
The Toyota 76/78 series appealed to those who really value freedom, good maneuverability and excellent driving performance on roads of almost any type of terrain. This car was not created to sit in the garage or show off in front of the house, it was created for people leading an active lifestyle.
The 76/78 series turned out to be so popular that even the global financial crisis could not break it. Toyota sales of these series only grew, which was a kind of additional advertising for the Japanese brand and its models. It was this model that got the name Prado.
The 79 series is very rare because it is a pickup truck.
The next Prado model was the 90 series, built on the chassis platform of the 185 series 4Runner/Hilux Surf.
It was the Land Cruiser Prado that became the basis of the 90 series, which was introduced in 1996 as the main competitor to the Mitsubishi Pajero. The main characteristic of the Prado was the combination of excellent cross-country ability and complete comfort. The great advantage of the car is permanent all-wheel drive with differential locks, the presence of an active safety system in the form of front airbags and an independent front suspension, which softened the ride on off-road and rough terrain.
The interior was offered in two versions with velor or leather seat upholstery, full power accessories, additional instruments (inclinometer, altimeter, compass), anti-lock braking system (ABS), two airbags, electric sunroof, radio, air conditioning (climate control mainly on cars with right-hand drive). steering wheel), an additional heater for rear passengers, a third row of seats (some have five door versions).
The engine line included 3 gasoline and 4 diesel engines:
3RZ-F - 2.7 (129 hp) [carburetor]
3RZ-FE - 2.7 (150 hp) [injector]
5VZ-FE - 3.4 (185 hp) [injector]
3L - 2.8 (91 hp) [atmospheric diesel]
1KZ-TE - 3.0 (125 hp) [turbo diesel]
1KZ-TE (Inter Cooler) - 3.0 l (140 hp) [turbo diesel with intercooler]
1KD-FTV - 3.0 D-4D (163 - 173 hp) [turbo diesel]
In June 1999, a restyled Land Cruiser 90 was released with a partially modified front part of the exterior in the form of a new radiator grille, front plastic headlights and fog lights in the bumper. The door trim and appearance of the instrument panel changed (some cars had Optitron backlighting installed). The 1KZ-TE turbodiesel was replaced by a new, more powerful and economical 1KD-FTV engine of the D-4D family with a common rail injection system. Options include Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Active Traction Control (TRC).
Technical characteristics of Land Cruiser Prado 90
Land Cruiser 80 [edit | edit code]
Toyota Land Cruiser 80 (1990-1997) debuted in October 1989. The engines are represented by in-line six-cylinder units: gasoline, diesel and turbodiesel. Gasoline engines were both carburetor 3F-E 4.0 l until 1992 (155 hp), 1FZ-F (197 hp), and injection 1FZ-FE 4.5 l (205-215 hp). The naturally aspirated 1HZ 4.2 liter naturally aspirated diesel engine (some people who use this engine consider its resource to be limitless) is available in several modifications with a capacity of 120 hp. With. up to 136 l. With. Its turbocharged version is called 1HD-T 4.2 l (165 hp), and the 24-valve version is called 1HD-FT (170 hp). In March 1998, production of the Toyota Land Cruiser 80 was discontinued, but the last cars still had a 1997 model year on their title. [ source not specified 756 days
]
In January 1995, the model underwent restyling: the corporate inscription on the radiator grille was replaced by an icon, and changes were also made to the panel of the SUV.
Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 150
The newest page in the history of the Land Cruiser Prado is the 150 model. The developers have carefully thought through the design. In addition to a large number of technical modifications, the aforementioned off-road assistance system and a system with which the chassis was adjusted to the specific type of soil on which the car was driving were introduced.
Toyota has released a huge variety of Land Cruisers. However, it is the Land Cruiser Prado that is rightly the most famous of them. Taking into account the specifics of off-road driving, the Japanese carefully thought out the safety system. All parts are selected specifically to ensure reliability and the most comfortable ride in any conditions.
What does "Prado" mean?
In order to understand what Land Cruiser Prado means, it is better to look at each word separately. “Land” translated from German means “edge”, “country”. The English language interprets this definition more broadly: “world”, “continent”, “land”.
The concept of “cruiser” is interpreted approximately the same in most world languages. In France it is a “yacht”, in Italy it is a “ship”, in English it is a “cruiser”, and often a “space shuttle”. Sometimes "cruiser" means "traveler".
Attention! The word "Prado" has a deeper meaning and refers to the Spanish language. In the Castilian dialect it means “park”, “field”, “lawn”. This word also means “a place where festivals are held.” The word “Prado” can also be associated with Prada clothing, the production of which also originates in Spain.
Thus, the car can be described as “a traveling cruiser in a clearing.” However, given the variety of interpretations of each word, anyone can combine them into one phrase, limited only by their imagination. In this case, all names will be relatively correct.
Land Cruiser Cygnus [edit | edit code]
In December 1998, the Land Cruiser Cygnus went on sale on the domestic Japanese market - an executive SUV, which is a Land Cruiser 100 modernized taking into account the wishes of buyers of prestigious cars. The Cygnus version differs from the base car in a different design of the front part of the body (for example, four-section head optics) and The interior is decorated with materials such as genuine leather and walnut wood; the standard equipment of the Land Cruiser Cygnus includes, for example, a rear view camera and a DVD changer.
The only engine available for the car is a 4.7-liter 2UZ-FE with 235 hp, paired with an automatic gearbox. The basic equipment of the Toyota Land Cruiser Cygnus includes an automatic hydraulic suspension adjustment system TEMS (the level of rigidity and ride height change either automatically depending on the driving mode, or are set at the request of the driver). The maximum ground clearance of the SUV is 270 mm (off-road), in normal mode - 220 mm.
In 2002, the SUV underwent restyling, replacing the automatic transmission from a four-speed to a five-speed. The Toyota Land Cruiser Cygnus was supplied to the Russian market as the Lexus LX470.
