Toyota Celebrates 75 Years of the Land Cruiser With a Special Variant
Toyota wasn’t about to let the Land Cruiser’s big birthday pass by without at least some sort of celebration.
The automaker’s German division has just unveiled a 75th Anniversary Special Edition variant of the legendary off-roader. The special model looks like it will be hard to get, with the brand currently having only committed to building 75 examples so far.
The 4×4 that would become the Land Cruiser debuted in 1951 as the Jeep BJ. Unfortunately for Toyota, Willys-Overland had dibs on the Jeep name, meaning a new moniker had to be coined in 1954, according to Silodrome. Inspired by the Land Rover Series I, the automaker’s technical director Hanji Umehara suggested Land Cruiser, and the rest is automotive history. Since then, the off-roader’s name has come to represent a mix of style and substance that few vehicles in its class can match.
Toyota Land Cruiser 75th Anniversary Special Edition
Toyota
The 75th Anniversary Special Edition is based on the current Land Cruiser 250, a model sold in some regions of the world as the Land Cruiser Prado. It’s the details that make this version of the boxy 4×4 so special. Up front you’ll find the retro-style round headlights found on the U.S.-market 1958 variant. It also features dark-finished 18-inch wheels and is available in seven colors, model-exclusive Smoky Blue, Aura Black, Avantgarde Bronze, Dark Grey, Sand, , Platinum White, and Super White.
Because it’s a German-market build, the special edition comes with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine mated to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The electrified setup produces 202 hp and 369 ft lbs of torque, which is routed to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox (the U.S. version’s hybrid-assisted 2.4-liter turbocharged inline-four makes 326 hp and 465 ft lbs of torque). The anniversary variant also comes standard with several off-roading accessories, including a limited-slip differential, a stabilizer disconnect, and a multi-terrain monitor.
Inside the Land Cruiser 75th Anniversary Special Edition
Toyota
As of now, the Land Cruiser 75th Anniversary Special Edition has only been announced for sale in Germany. The automaker plans to release just 75 examples, but it’s easy to imagine that number rising if the variant is offered in other markets. Pricing for the exclusive build starts at 84,750 euros, which works out to roughly $95,000.
Click here to see more photos of the Toyota Land Cruiser 75th Anniversary Special Edition.
