Australian Car Guide

1999 November: The Toyota LandCruiser 100-series GXL 4.5 litre 6-cylinder won the all terrain wagon category of the 1999 NRMA and RACV combined best car awards.

1998: The Toyota LandCruiser 100-series got its Australian launch in April 1998 after first showings at the Tokyo Motor Show, October 1997, and with a closely related Lexus LX470 4x4 popping up at the 1998 Melbourne Motor Show.

The six cylinder Landcruisers, petrol and diesel, still have live front axles.

The new 100-series LandCruiser range consists of 11 models. There are three engines: 4.7L V8 petrol, 4.5L 6-cyl petrol and 4.2L 6-cyl diesel. That diesel is naturally aspirated; the 4.2L turbo-diesel previously offered on the 80-series LandCruiser has been discontinued, hmmm.... There are 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic gearboxes coupled to a full-time 4WD transfer-case with centre diff' (and lock), although the two base models get a part-time 4WD system. An innovation at the front end is independent front suspension with double-wishbones and torsion-bar springs on the GXV model. A live front axle with coil springs is still fitted to the other LandCruisers.

While there is a strong family resemblance to the previous 80-series LandCruiser, the new 4WD has a revised chassis, longer and wider body, and more aerodynamic shape. It is also generally bigger, and heavier. The 80-series standard models had a narrower track than the top models which had add-on flares to cover wider rubber and track. The 100-series follows the current fashion in integrated wheel-arches cum flares (first seen on an Audi Quattro?) and the new standard models have nearly 3" more track to match.

LandCruiser GXV gets a 4.7L V8 motor, automatic transmission and independent front suspension. V8   - 4wd.sofcom.com/4WD.html

The V8 engine is new, shared with the Lexus LX470 4WD and is only available with the automatic transmission. It is interesting that it only manages 5kW more power than the 6-cylinder motor, at 200rpm higher. Torque is 5% more, at 200rpm lower than the 6. It will be interesting to see how the public views the Toyota / Lexus split. Lexus and Toyota are handled as separate companies and the cars, and now the LX470 4WD, are sold through separate dealers, but the only real differences here are in the level of equipment and the price. To quote Toyota, "There is now emerging an upper luxury [4WD] segment - once the domain of LandCruiser Sahara and one British competitor [whose name apparently cannot be mentioned]. The LandCruiser Sahara has now been discontinued and LandCruiser 100 will compete solely in the large 4x4 segment".

- 4wd.sofcom.com/4WD.html

Toyota LandCruiser 100-Series 1998...

• station wagon, 5+3seats, 4 doors, front outer seatbelt pretensioners, ABS brakes available
• loa: 4890mm, width: 1940mm, height: 1920mm (1915mm GXL, 1890mm GXV)
• wheelbase: 2850mm, track: 1605mm/1600mm (standard, RV), 1620mm/1615mm (GXL, GXV), grnd clearance: 230mm (standard, RV), 2210mm (GXL), 220mm (GXV)
• approach: 31-36, departure: 24-27, ramp break over: 155-151
• weight: 2230kg-2405kg (unladen), GVM: 3180kg-3260kg, towing: 750kg (unbraked) to 3500kg (braked, regulations permitting)
• V8 petrol (GXV model to 2000), restricted to the Lexus LX470 from late 2000
  • 2UZ-FE, 4664cc, petrol, V8, mpfi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc
  • bore: 94.0mm, stroke: 84.0mm, c.r.: 9.6:1
  • power: 170kW at 4800rpm, torque: 410Nm at 3400rpm
  • NB. 100,000km life iridium/platinum tipped spark-plug
• 6-cyl petrol (standard, RV and GXL models):
  • 1FZ-FE, 4477cc, petrol, 6-cyl, mpfi, 4-valves/cyl, dohc
  • bore: 100.0mm, stroke: 95.0mm, c.r.: 9.0:1
  • power: 165kW at 4600rpm, torque: 387Nm at 3600rpm
• 6-cyl diesel (standard, RV and GXL models):
  • 1HZ, 4146cc, diesel, 6-cyl, 2-valves/cyl, sohc
  • bore: 94.0mm, stroke: 100.0mm, c.r.: 22.4:1
  • power: 96kW at 3800rpm, torque: 285Nm at 2200rpm
• transmissions:
  • A442F 4-auto (V8 and 6-petrol): (2.95:1, 1.53:1, 1.0:1, 0.765:1, rev 2.678:1), full-time 4WD transfer case (1.0:1 hi, 2.488:1 lo)
  • H151F 5-speed manual (6-petrol): (4.081:1, 2.294:1, 1.49:1, 1.0:1, 0.881:1, rev 4.313:1), full-time 4WD transfer case (1.0:1 hi, 2.488:1 lo)
  • R151F 5-speed manual (diesel): (4.313:1, 2.33:1, 1.436:1, 1.0:1, 0.838:1, rec 4.2:1), part-time 4WD (1.0:1 hi, 2.488:1 lo)
• axle differentials: 4.3:1 (4.1:1 turbo-diesel), optional front and rear diff' locks on standard, RV and GXL, optional rear on GXV
• suspension: V8 GXV independent front s' with double wishbones and torsion bars, or live-axle with coil springs, rear live-axle with 5 links and coil springs,
  brakes: disc/disc, ABS standard on GXL and GXV, optional on RV, handbrake acts on rear wheels (drum in disc)
• tyres: 7.50R16 (standard), 235/85R16 (RV), 275/70R16 (GXL, GXV), fuel-tank: 145L=95+50, 141L=96+45 (GXV)
• Grades of equipment:
  • Standard: 6-cyl petrol or diesel, 5-spd manual, part-time 4WD, 6 seats in 2 rows, rear "barn-doors", 7.50R16 tyres
  • RV: 6-cyl petrol or diesel, 5m/4a, full-time 4WD, 3rd row of seats, central locking, power mirrors, 4-speaker stereo, Dunlop Road-Gripper 235/85R16 tyres, dual airbag option, ABS option
  • GXL: 6-cyl petrol or diesel, 5m/4a, full-time 4WD, dual airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, ABS brakes, side-steps, remote control locking, cruise control (petrol), CD player, power windows
• prices: from $47,460 (standard, petrol), $49,690 (standard, diesel), $58,820 (GXL diesel auto'), $89,900 (GXV V8 auto'), $Aus+orc April 1998
• competition: Jeep Grand Cherokee, GXV ~ Range Rover, Nissan Patrol GU, GM Suburban?
• Australian launch: April 1998, current page [here]

1998 100-Series Landcruiser. So far it is stock standard with electric roof and other small goodies. It has been convered to run on LPG with a rear wheel carrier to relocate the spare.

I have also added an ARB colour coded front bar and driving lights. It also has a CB for track communications - Ian [9/'99]

Go to the 100-series (current) and Toyota (main) pages