A quick history of the Land Cruiser

August 1st, 2021 marks the 70th anniversary of the Toyota Land Cruiser, and with the upcoming Land Cruiser 300 coming this summer, it's time for a quick history lesson on Japan's king of offroaders that has withstood the test of time and boldly went where no Japanese car has gone before from the top to the ends of the earth.

Toyota Jeep BJ Series (1951) - The origin of the Land Cruiser began in 1951 when Toyota created a military truck prototype, the Toyota Jeep BJ, powered by a 3.4L straight-six engine and styled to look like military Jeeps used by US forces stationed in Japan. It was renamed as the Land Cruiser following a lawsuit by Willys, stating they have claimed ownership of the Jeep name and Toyota's infringing on its trademark.

20 Series (1955) - The Land Cruiser 20 series was unveiled in 1955 and it picks up where the BJ left off. It was built to have more civilian appeal than its predecessors. It was sold in Brazil as the Bandeirante in 1959. The LC20 series is offered in four different body styles and powered by a choice of 3.4L and 3.9L petrol engines. 

40 Series (1960) - Launched in 1960, it's an upgraded version of the 20 Series featuring a new 126PS 3.9L engine and a low-range three-speed gearbox.

55 Series (1967) - The Land Cruiser 55 Series moved the brand itself from the Heavy-Duty class to a comfort-oriented Station Wagon class.

60 Series (1980) - The 60 Series, launched in 1980, retains the same off-road characteristics as its predecessors while competing in the early years of the SUV market. It has given concessions of comfort such as air conditioning, rear heating, and a new interior.

70 Series (1984)  - The 70 Series, launched in 1984, returns the Land Cruiser to its roots as a heavy-duty offroader.

70 Series Wagon (1985) - The wagon version of the Land Cruiser 70 Series gave birth to the brand's Light Duty class and the stepping stone for the Prado name.

80 Series (1989) - Unveiled at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show, the Land Cruiser 80 Series is the first Land Cruiser of the Heisei era.

70 Prado Series (1990) - What's formerly known as the Land Cruiser 70 Series Wagon, the offspring of the Land Cruiser's Light Duty class, is renamed as the Land Cruiser Prado in 1990.

90 Prado Series (1996) - The Land Cruiser Prado reached its second generation in 1996. Available in three-door and five-door configurations, the Prado is offered with a choice of six different engines with the most powerful being the V6 3.4L petrol engine with 185PS of power.

100 Series (1998) - In 1998, the Toyota Land Cruiser enters the 100 Series in 1998 and it's the first Land Cruiser to come with a V8 engine. A more luxurious Cygnus variant was launched later that year, which was sold in the world market as the Lexus LX.

120 Prado Series (2002) - The Prado enters its third generation in 2002 and it was remodeled into a more luxurious take on Toyota's light-duty offroader. It was offered in the US as the Lexus GX.

200 Series (2007) - Launched in 2007, the Land Cruiser 200 served as the flagship of Toyota's SUV lineup. Featuring a strong exterior design and a premium interior, the 200 Series features Multi-Terrain Select, Crawl Control, Variable Gear Ratio Steering, Active Height Control Suspension with Adaptive Variable Suspension System, and KDSS (Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System). In 2015, a facelift was unveiled and its Lexus LX derivative was launched in Japan for the first time.

150 Prado Series (2009) - In the fall of 2009, the Prado has reached its fourth generation and like its big brother, it features a more luxurious design, interior, and numerous features inherited from the 200 Series including KDSS and Crawl Control. This generation got facelifted twice; one in 2013 and the recent in 2017.

70 Series (2014) - In honor of the Land Cruiser 70's 30th birthday, Toyota brought back the 70 Series as a limited model. Offered as a five-door van and a pickup, the 2014 LC70 is powered by a 4.0L V6 1GR-FE engine with VVT-i and Acoustic Control Induction System. It develops 231PS of power output, 360Nm of torque output, and 6.6kmpl of fuel economy on the JC08 Mode scale.

300 Series (2021) - The Land Cruiser 300 Series marks the evolution of Japan's offroad king. The all-new Land Cruiser is now running on the company's TNGA platform and it's now powered by a choice of a 3.5L V6 turbo petrol engine producing 415PS of power, more than the previous model's V8 engine, and a 3.3L V6 turbodiesel engine, all mated to a 10-speed AT. It features the latest Toyota Safety Sense active safety package with additional functions added. It will be launched in Japan later this year.

Happy 70th anniversary to the Toyota Land Cruiser! From the scorching sands of the Arabian Peninsula to the Amazon rainforest, from the streets of New York to Tokyo, the Land Cruiser truly withstood the test of time as the king of Japanese offroaders that boldly went where no Japanese car has gone before from the top to the ends of the earth. As the world prepares for the arrival of the Land Cruiser 300 Series, let's all give a big hand to the Land Cruiser heritage.