by Mysterious prototype: first look at the new Land Cruiser family
The head of marketing for Toyota Europe may have accidentally revealed the first image of a new member of the Land Cruiser family. A camouflaged prototype, photographed next to the current Land Cruiser GR Sport, could become the brand’s first SUV to combine an electric powertrain with a unibody construction. The photo was likely taken during testing and comparative trials.
The mysterious SUV appeared in a photo published on Facebook by Andrea Carlucci, Director of Marketing and Product Strategy at Toyota Europe. The caption under the image reads: “The legend evolves… #Land Cruiser #Tahara What a team!!”, leaving no doubt as to what we are seeing.
As the hashtag indicates, the photo was taken at the Tahara production facility in Japan, where the Land Cruiser 250 Series, related Lexus GX, and Toyota 4Runner are manufactured.
Andrea Carlucci / Facebook
Design details and comparison with the concept
The unnamed prototype is covered in camouflage, with cutouts for headlights and cooling air intakes. Team members posing in front of it partially block the view, but several interesting details are still visible.
The placement of the horizontal headlights and the lower part of the bumper match the 2023 Land Cruiser Se concept, but the prototype has a new opening in the front. Also noticeable is a slightly lower ground clearance compared to the Land Cruiser Series 300, although the overall height will not differ greatly. The only detail that raises questions is the wheels, which resemble those used on the Century SUV, although this may be only for testing purposes.
The 2023 Land Cruiser Se concept had a length of 5,150 mm (202.8 inches) with a wheelbase of 3,050 mm (120.1 inches). This makes it 35 mm (1.4 inches) longer than the 300 Series, with an additional 200 mm (7.9 inches) between the axles. Whether the production version will maintain these proportions is still unknown.
Unibody construction and electric powertrain
Overall, the mysterious SUV could be similar in size to the Toyota Grand Highlander. It also has multi-spoke alloy wheels, similar to those installed on the luxurious Century SUV. A common feature of these models is the unibody architecture (TNGA-K).
A similar construction is expected to be used for the fully electric Land Cruiser, which may be based on the e-TNGA platform or its evolutionary version. The transition to a unibody construction will likely make this Land Cruiser the best-handling, although this will inevitably affect off-road capabilities compared to body-on-frame models like the FJ, 70 Series, 250 Series, and 300 Series.
Regarding the powertrain, according to Australian publication Drive, the battery-electric system will likely surpass current petrol and hybrid Land Cruisers. There have also been reports of a possible range-extender variant, and the presence of a cooling air intake on the front bumper makes this scenario plausible.
The most powerful Land Cruiser to date is the self-charging hybrid variant of the Series 300, with a combined output of 457 hp (341 kW / 464 PS) and 790 Nm (583 lb-ft) of torque from a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 and a single electric motor.
Toyota Land Cruiser GR Sport Hybrid
The appearance of this prototype indicates that Toyota is actively working on expanding the Land Cruiser lineup, adapting the legendary model to the demands of electrification. The use of a unibody construction and electric traction could make the new SUV more suitable for daily on-road use, offering better handling and efficiency. At the same time, preserving off-road traditions with body-on-frame versions will allow meeting the needs of different customer categories, from off-road enthusiasts to those seeking a comfortable and modern family vehicle.
