Toyota LandCruiser V8 petrol could return

Sales of the current V8 twin-turbo diesel Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series continue to exceed expectations in Australia, but as global production of the engine ceases soon, many potential buyers may be left wondering if the new model is worth the upgrade.

But a V8-powered Toyota LandCruiser may not be dead and buried after all.

New intel suggests the Japanese brand is considering a V8 engine in future for its flagship 4x4 wagon. And it’s not a diesel.

While the new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series will get a brand-new six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to replace the V8 – with similar power and torque – a source with knowledge of the next-gen LC300 (and in particular the platform that underpins it) told carsales an all-new petrol V8 is possible.

While there is no official confirmation at this stage, our source said a petrol V8 is “not out of the question”.

If the LC300 receives the nod for a return to eight-cylinder power, it could get a detuned version of the Lexus-developed twin-turbo V8 that was previewed in the Lexus LC race car last year and is expected to be capable of cranking out a heavy-hitting 450kW and 750Nm.

The all-new V8 engine is understood to displace between 3.8 and 4.0 litres with a twin-turbo set-up, and Toyota engineers are looking at the new powertrain closely for a number of upcoming vehicles, which appears to now include the LandCruiser.

Sales of the current turbo-diesel V8-powered LandCruiser have boomed in recent months, with more than 4200 wagons sold in November and December combined – more than twice as many compared to the corresponding (pre-pandemic) period in 2019.

It was the fifth-highest-selling car in Australia in 2020, outsold only by the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, Toyota RAV4 and Corolla.

Clearly there’s strong demand for a capable V8-powered SUV, with sales of the petrol-only V8 Nissan Patrol also skyrocketing in 2020.

Toyota sold more LandCruisers in 2020 than the Camry sedan and Kluger family SUV, which speaks to two factors: Aussies are now holidaying domestically and want a solid adventure and towing rig and the fact that this could be the last V8 LandCruiser for some time.

The all-new Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series is set to be launched in Australia in the second half of 2021 following its global reveal mid-year, and will be based on the car-maker’s new TNGA-F platform architecture.

This scalable platform allows for the implementation of a range of new powertrains (including hybrid) and will underpin the next-gen Toyota Tundra full-size pick-up truck due to enter production in the US later this year and the LC300’s luxury cousin, the next-gen Lexus LX – both of which are also understood to be in the running for the twin-turbo V8.

Mid-way through the decade, a smaller version of the TNGA-F platform will be used to underpin the next-generation Toyota HiLux as well, but the chances it will get a V8 are slim.

As previously reported, Toyota is considering a locally-developed LandCruiser Rugged X model to take on the upcoming V8-powered Nissan Patrol Warrior, but a more likely scenario for a range-topping high-performance twin-turbo V8 engine deployment would be a GR LandCruiser model.

Using the same branding as the new GR Supra and all-wheel drive GR Yaris, a high-performance LandCruiser is clearly not out of the question and would rivals vehicles like the Mercedes-AMG G63.

As well as enabling advanced engine types, the TNGA-F platform that underpins the next-gen ’Cruiser will deliver a range of new technologies that will improve its off-road and towing capabilities, not to mention enhancing safety, smartphone connectivity and overall functionality.

Australian-spec versions of the Toyota LandCruiser 300 are set to launch with six-cylinder engines only, and while there may be four-cylinder versions offered overseas, it’s tipped that a twin-turbo V6 petrol will be the first engine available in Australia.

It should be good for around 300kW and 600Nm, which should ensure a towing capacity of around 3000kg.

Toyota is understood to be developing a new turbo-diesel V6 engine which would match the current diesel V8’s 3500kg towing capacity.

A petrol-electric V6 hybrid powertrain will also be offered in due course, as part of the brand’s commitment to offer electrified powertrains in all models by 2025.

As demand for the current Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series continues to run hot into 2021, stock levels are expected to begin running low in the coming months.

The new LC300 will be a significantly more expensive proposition, with prices expected to nudge $150,000 for the range-topping model grades – another factor that will continue to drive high levels of demand for the outgoing vehicle until dealer vehicle supplies are exhausted.