AIMS: FJ Cruiser lands in Oz

Toyota has today unveiled its new FJ Cruiser SUV at the Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) in Sydney, the retro-styled pseudo off-roader challenging conventional SUV styling with its design language paying a colourful homage to Toyota's late '60s namesake.

Although Toyota admits FJ Cruiser will likely attract "well-heeled" younger buyers who know nothing about the tradition surrounding its FJ nameplate, TMCA's senior executive director of sales and marketing, David Buttner, told the Carsales Network today: "The FJ Cruiser is likely to be priced within the same realm as similarly proportioned competitors such as Dodge Nitro and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, placing it somewhere within the $37,000 to $50,000 retail range".

The new Toyota FJ Crusier will hit showrooms locally in March next year.

Like the recently-released Rukus, the FJ Cruiser provides Toyota with a model that attracts attention to the marque for something other than the usual brand traits (quality, reliability, etc), although the company points to the FJ Cruiser's strong performance in the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study as evidence that it is built to a quality standard. Australian-delivered models will be built in Japan.

FJ Cruiser has been on sale in the US since late 2006 and until recently, was only available in left hand drive.

Sharing underpinnings with the latest generation 150 Series LandCruiser Prado, FJ Cruiser features uniquely retro styling with 'suicide' rear doors, and a familiar fascia to that of the original, now legendary FJ Series LandCruiser.

Setting it apart from any other SUV, FJ's retro-inspired styling includes a near vertical windscreen with three wipers, white roof (irrespective of body colour -- just like the original) and wrap-around rear windows.

Inside, there are two rows of seats with standard-size front door and smaller, reverse-opening rear doors.

In keeping with the FJ's mantra of "style and substance", Toyota has opted for a "no frills" interior, including moulded floors for easy cleaning.

The FJ Cruiser's exterior styling provides the most obvious connection with Toyota's roots -- body-on-frame structure, stocky appearance, unique "Toyota" badge on the grille, and the arrangement of its headlights and grille.

Toyota says the reborn classic is more than a reinterpretation of its classic FJ40, but part of the brand's aim to revive its passion and pioneering off-road spirit in a vehicle that's designed to deliver loads of character while also being fun to drive. The original FJ Series LandCruiser was highly acclaimed for its ability to travel to -- and return from -- any extreme environment.

Under the bonnet, and again sharing origins with LandCrusier Prado, the FJ Cruiser features a (200kW/380Nm) 4.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine with variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts for an optimum combination of power and economy.

Official performance figures are yet to be released (as are fuel economy details), but Toyota assures us performance is "willing". Power is put to the road via a five-speed automatic transmission and a part-time 4WD system with a dual-range transfer case.

FJ Cruiser is suspended by double-wishbone coil suspension at the front and coils at the rear providing large wheel articulation and impressive fording capability, while there is also "excellent ground clearance".

For our full coverage of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney visit our minisite at carsales.com.au/aims

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