Toyota Land Cruiser 70 re-launched in Japan

Toyota Motor Corp. is re-launching the iconic Land Cruiser 70 in Japan. However, sales will be limited to 200 units a month and the rugged vehicle will be in production for only a year. Sales for the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 were discontinued in 2004, but the Japanese car-maker had to give in to the demands of nostalgic fans in its home country. However, the SUV is still sold in the Middle-east, Africa and Australian markets.

The Land Cruiser 70 will be available in two body styles, a 4-door SUV or as a pick-up and has been priced at 3.6 million yen ($35,000). The Land Cruiser 70 is based on a ladder-frame chassis and suspension. It has been designed to take on the toughest terrain in the world and is a proven, reliable product for places where a breakdown can prove fatal. As a result, the U.N. and the Red Cross use the Land Cruiser for relief efforts in disaster zones.

Toyota has sold  7.9 million units of the Land Cruiser worldwide since its introduction in 1984. This new model for Japan is powered by a 4.0-litre V6 petrol unit that features VVT-i technology. The engine produces 228 bhp and 36.7kgm of torque, which is transferred to the wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. The SUV will come with safety features like ABS and airbags, while cosmetically there aren’t any drastic changes except, clear-lens headlamps and a different grille.