Toyota: “We’re not giving up on 70 Series”

Toyota Australia has issued a stay of execution for its enduring 70 Series LandCruiser ute, confirming it has no plans to axe the iconic workhorse from the local line-up.

Contrary to speculation, motoring.com.au has learned there is no plan to kill off the 70 Series in the face of tightening emissions standards. Toyota Australia spokesman Stephen Coughlan revealed the updated model due in the fourth quarter of 2016 would not be the last.

“It’s an indefinite member of the Toyota family, it’s a crucial and much-loved vehicle in Australia,” Coughlan said.

“It’s iconic … and this update will solidify in a lot of people’s minds that we’re not giving up on the model. It’s here and it’s here to stay.”

Toyota has provided one of the most significant updates to the 70 Series with its latest round of tweaks. While styling will closely parallel the current version and its 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 remains unchanged in displacement and outputs, significant changes to the car’s gearing and ECU are expected to elicit better response and driveability than before, without forgoing the car’s traditional utilitarian edge.

The 70 Series’ intercooled 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. Its manual-only transmission has been overhauled to meet the changes.

The single-cab will also boast a five-star safety rating for the first time, courtesy of the fitment of side curtain airbags and driver’s knee airbag, new electronic stability control and traction control, hill-start assist, brake assist, electronic brake-force distribution and cruise control.

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 changes are in part the result of an extensive Australian durability program that encompassed some 100,000km in testing, of which roughly 70 per cent was conducted off road.

Local engineers 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.

“In terms of the engine, you’re looking at a diesel particulate filter, you’re looking at revised injectors and ECU mapping,” Coughlan said.

“The outputs I don’t envisage will change but there may be improvements to fuel efficiency around that and improved emissions. Changes to the gearing in terms of the ratios and the addition of the latest generation of our A-TRAC four-wheel drive system will also be present.”

As we reported exclusively in 2013, Toyota conducted a feasibility study into an all-new 70 Series replacement. But now it seems Toyota intends on simply updating its enduring current series to comply with future emissions standards.

While the 70 Series will be Euro 5 emissions-compliant by November, Toyota will again need to upgrade its workhorse to comply with the even more stringent Euro 6 target, which applies to all new vehicles launched from July 2017, and all new vehicles sold after July 2018.

The LandCruiser 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.

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.