Toyota Land Cruiser 200 exit sets off crazy price hike

According to George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, it’s common for the used values of certain iconic cars to grow when they’re discontinued.

The fact that brand new versions of the vehicle were no longer available only served to improve its resale values. Mienie expects this to happen with Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series that is due to be replaced by the 300 Series later this year. “The Land Cruiser is an iconic vehicle,” he notes.

In September 2019, cumulative global sales of the Land Cruiser series surpassed 10 million units. The Land Cruiser is Toyota’s longest-selling car. It launched on August 1, 1951, as the Toyota ‘Jeep BJ’ and production has continued ever since.

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According to Mienie, the Land Cruiser 200 has especially carved out a name for itself among off-road enthusiasts. “While some people are likely to believe that the long-serving Land Cruiser 200 Series is due for replacement, many others will be devastated to see its departure,” he comments.

Gone will be the much-loved 195kW/650Nm 4.5 D4-D V8, and the replacement for this is said to be a 225kW/700Nm 3.3-litre V6 turbodiesel. There is also talk of an even more powerful 305kW/650Nm petrol twin-turbo V6 petrol and can you believe it, a petrol-electric hybrid is likely to be added to the range at some stage.

New list price for the current G-R R1 152 700 and the top of the range V-XR comes in at R1 606 600. But the problem is that stock is scarce, so you are not just going to find one waiting at a dealership for you, and this means that you are going to pay a hefty premium for a nearly new or used Land Cruiser 200.

Interior of the Land Cruiser 200

But how much of a premium? Well according to AutoTrader website, a 2019 GX-R with 58 000 km on the clock is selling for R1 259 900. That’s R100 000 more than brand new. And it gets even crazier with the range topping VX-R model.

A 2019 model with 35 500 km on the clock is selling for R1 619 900, and from there they just get more expensive, with 2020 models starting at the same R1 619 900 point and going to R1 799 450 with 9 000 km on the clock. Registered this year VX-R models meanwhile start at R1 749 890 and go to a crazy R1 999 999 with only 50 km on the clock. You will be paying nearly R400 000 over new for this Land Cruiser 200.

The prices will get even crazier, Mienie warns. “The current values of used Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series models will increase over time, with this possibly being the last chance for anyone interested in a 200 to be able to buy one”.