Toyota Land Cruiser 300 will be “exciting”

While its expected debut at the Tokyo Motor Show didn’t materialise, the Vice-President of Toyota Australia has indicated that buyers are in for something “exciting” when the all-new Land Cruiser 300 makes its reported unveiling in 2020.

Speaking to carsguide.com.au at the Tokyo showpiece, Sean Hanley remained tight-lipped about the exact details of its flagship SUV, only stating that the current generation 200 is remaining popular with some 900 units being moved Down Under every month despite it being 12 years old.

“It may be getting long in the tooth, but I can tell you, it’s holding its sales rate. It’s a brilliant car, it has a huge market, and we have a very loyal Land Cruiser base in Australia. I can tell you whatever we bring in the future will be exciting and capable,” Hanley said.

Reaffirming comments made about the Hilux in Tokyo last week, and indeed regarding a switch towards electrification, Hanley again alluded to the fact that the 300 might be offered with a diesel/electric powertrain for Australia following the discontinuing of the petrol V8 Land Cruiser 200 last month due to poor sales.

“We’ve always maintained that whatever we do in the future… we will continue to have Land Cruisers going forward. And we will bring out – in the future – some type of electrification. There’s no doubt – we have to meet targets,” he said of Toyota’s aim to have every model in its line-up electrified by 2025.

“We haven’t firmed up our product offering for the future, but potentially we could have hybrid diesels. It’s a really important car to our line-up, so you can be sure it’ll be capable. I think our loyal owner base will be very pleased”.

At present, details surrounding the drivetrain are unknown, but with the phasing out of V8 engines for the Land Cruiser 300 in favour of V6s, power could come from the 3.5-litre badged 3.4-litre bent-six powering the Lexus LS 500h, although if the diesel/electric reports are indeed true, chances are that a V6 oil-burner could be introduced as it is unlikely that a hybridised version of the 2.8 GD-6 used in the Hilux, Fortuner and Prado would be deemed sufficient.

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