Toyota LC70 003
Marton Pettendy27 Jun 2016
NEWS

Toyota tunes its last 70 Series LandCruiser

Australian suspension tuning and durability testing for final 70 Series upgrade due in October

UPDATE 29/06/2016 5:00pm: Toyota Australia has advised that trailer sway control will not be part of the 70 Series LandCruiser upgrade.

----------------------------------------------

Toyota Australia says its engineers have subjected the 2016 LandCruiser 70 Series to more than 100,000km of local durability testing in the lead-up to the model's last ever upgrade in October.

It claims local engineers also retuned the suspension spring and damper rates to match the vehicle's stiffer new ladder frame, which employs thicker side rails to increase rigidity, reduce vibration and improve handling and stability.

The Australian testing program, which focused on the volume-selling single cab-chassis ute model, included "everything from corrugated dirt roads to rugged cattle properties with severe washouts", with around 70 per cent of the evaluation regime conducted off-road.

Apart from suspension, Toyota engineers also tuned new safety features including electronic stability and traction control for their suitability "in areas where the vehicle is mostly used -- dirt roads, rural properties and country highways".

As we've reported, all 70 Series variants (single-cab, double-cab, wagon and troop carrier) will be equipped with stability/traction control, as well as hill-start assist, trailer sway control, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution and cruise control.

Toyota LC70 002

Toyota expects only the most popular 70 Series variant, the single-cab, to achieve a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating – and therefore remain on the shopping list of fleet buyers including mining companies – after it is fitted with side curtain airbags and a driver's knee airbag.

All 70 Series models currently come with a sub-standard three-star ANCAP rating, which is expected to remain for dual-cab, wagon and 'troopie' versions.

The single-cab's extra three airbags follows the fitment of twin front airbags and anti-skid brakes as standard across the 70 Series range in 2009 (when telescopic steering wheel adjustment and Bluetooth connectivity were also introduced) and 2012 respectively.

In addition, the 70 Series' intercooled 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 will be upgraded to meet the stricter Euro 5 emissions standard required for all new vehicles from November 2016, with more responsive piezo injectors joining common-rail direct-injection.

Finally, the manual-only transmission receives revised gearing designed to lower fuel consumption, as well as noise, vibration and harshness.

Toyota Australia's executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the updates to the company's light commercial vehicle stalwart are the result of a "substantial commitment of engineering resources and investment by the company in Japan and in Australia".

Toyota LC70 004

"The upgraded 70 Series LandCruiser range builds on this iconic vehicle's fit-for-purpose appeal with improvements that reinforce its heavy-duty abilities, durability and unapologetically rugged character," he said.

"At the same time, it receives important safety and emissions updates that are required by many customers -- as well as regulators -- to enable Toyota to continue selling the 70 Series in the Australian market."

While the 70 Series will be Euro 5 emissions-compliant by November (unlike its only direct rival, Nissan's Y61 Patrol, which will discontinued by then as a result), it's unclear whether it will be upgraded again to meet the even more stringent Euro 6 emissions standard.

It will apply to all new vehicles launched from July 2017, and all new vehicles sold after July 2018.

Either way, it's clear the 2016 model will be the last significant upgrade for the 70 Series, which remains largely unchanged since 1984 and last year celebrated 30 years on sale in Australia, where more than 250,000 examples have been sold since 1985.

As we reported exclusively in 2013, Toyota has conducted a feasibility study into an all-new 70 Series replacement.

However, Toyota Australia's most senior product planner, Mark Dobson, recently made it clear to motoring.com.au that there will be no successor for the Japanese car-maker's answer to the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class.

"We've not made any public statement about another new 70 Series after this," he said. "We are concentrating on getting this next 70 Series upgrade into the market here. That's the one we're full-on with.

"We're planning to meet all the mandatory regulations. Obviously five-star ANCAP's a market requirement for sales into certain fleets. It's getting harder and harder to make a car that tough and still meet all of those requirements."

LandCruiser is Toyota’s longest-running nameplate, with its origins dating back to the BJ of 1951, before the 4WD was renamed LandCruiser in 1954.

Australia became Toyota’s first export market after early predecessors of LandCruiser 70 Series — the FJ25, FJ45 and FJ43 – were employed by construction magnate Leslie (later Sir Leslie) Thiess during the construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme.

Share this article
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Stay up to dateBecome a carsales member and get the latest news, reviews and advice straight to your inbox.
Download the carsales app
    AppStoreDownloadGooglePlayDownload
    App Store and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
    © CAR Group Ltd 1999-2024
    In the spirit of reconciliation we acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.