– Land Cruiser FJ40, Toyota’s iconic all-terrain vehicle
– short wheelbase car
– striking Freeborn Red paint with white roof
– contrasting black leatherette interior in excellent condition
– new carpet, new headliner
– 4.2 litre inline six cylinder petrol engine with 99 kW (135 hp)
– original radio on board
– quarter vent windows
– eye-catching and decidedly beautiful FJ40, something of a rarity
The Americans have their Jeep, the British their Land Rover – and then there’s another rugged vehicle, from the land of the rising sun and hardly any less iconic: the Toyota Land Cruiser. Originally designed as a military vehicle based on the US Jeep, it was soon adapted to civilian use. The original “BJ” from 1951 was renamed Land Cruiser in 1954, leaving no doubt against which car it was pitted. A second generation followed in 1955, but it was the third generation, the J40, which became a world-wide success.
Especially the 4×4 variant had great off-road capabilities, they proved to be tough and reliable and helped establish Toyota’s reputation, especially in markets such as Australia, South America or Africa where these qualities in a car were vital. Land Cruiser engines were either 4 or 6 cylinder plants with a capacity between 3.0 and 4.2 litres, both Diesel and petrol engines were offered. Interestingly, Toyota used Mercedes-Benz engines for their Brazil-based production for over 25 years.
The J40 remained in production until 1984, when it was replaced by the J70. In Brazil, however, where the popular car was sold as “Toyota Bandeirante”, it continued to be built right until 2001.