Powered by Mazda? Toyota Land Cruiser 300’s new oil-burner a straight-six

The ongoing speculation surrounding the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, earmarked for unveiling in September, has taken an unexpected twist if a fresh report from Australia is to be believed.

According to motoring.com.au, the controversy surrounds the new 3.3-litre turbodiesel that will replace 4.5 D-4D V8, albeit not in the 76/79 series for the foreseeable future. At one point rumoured to be a four-cylinder, the online publication reports that the six, poised to power the GR Hilux, will not be a V6 as believed until now, but rather the new straight-six made by Mazda for the next generation 6 and CX-5 as part of Hiroshima’s joint venture with Toyota that will result in the new rear-wheel-drive platform announced in 2019.

Alleged to produce 200kW/650Nm in the, the latter figure the same as the 200’s twin-turbo V8 but with a five extra kilowatts, the publication goes further by claiming possible electrification in the form of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, a claim which stems for not only the engine’s reveal last year, but also a report that first broke two years ago about a possible diesel/electric drivetrain.

Initially, it was speculated that the 150kW/500Nm 2.8 GD-6 could be used in combination with an electric motor, but based on the article, which stems from a leaked document published by the Cochespias online forum last year detailing the outputs of the diesel and the 3.0-litre mild-hybrid turbocharged straight-six petrol set for the 6, CX-5 and forthcoming CX-50, it seems all but confirmed that 300 will feature a straight-six oil-burner for the first time since the immortal 4.2-litre, still offered in the normally aspirated guise in the 79, bowed out with the 100 in 2007.

Aside from the diesel, the rest of the line-up is far from settled with the two V6 petrols all but confirmed, one being the twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre badged 3.4 that develops 310kW/600Nm in the Lexus LS 500 and the other a single turbo hybrid of the same displacement, with reports continuing to mount of the third being a V8 in spite of Toyota having ruled a bent-eight out not only last year, but also in 2019.

At present, the speculated eight appears to be the now back on 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 Lexus initially called off last year, but earlier this month u-turned on for the next generation F models. While anticipated to produce 447 kW, chances are it will be detuned for the 300 as well as the next year Tundra currently undergoing testing in North America, which will make use of the same body-on-frame TNGA-F platform.

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