Despite not being sold here, the Landcruiser 70-series has been the object of desire for many fans of off roading (or just quality machinery) in North America. This converted camper combines a the utility of a compact RV with legendary durability, diesel power and snob appeal, and I’m sure many in-the-know passersby feel a touch of resentment toward the car’s unavailability in the US. Note the intake snorkel, allowing easy travel through deep water. How many camper conversions can do that?
It appears that this camper came here all the way from Switzerland. However it got here, the people driving it along the coast must have generous vacation benefits, given all the potential sources of headaches involved in such an undertaking. At least they can avoid having to book into a hotel.
This is what the basic version of the chassis looks like. It is actually still available in Canada, but in very limited quantities and limited to use in such applications as mining. The Land Cruiser 70 as sold in Australia uses Toyota’s 4.5 liter turbodiesel V8, but the camper pictured here likely uses the 4.2 straight six counterpart. Most of Toyota’s European websites don’t feature the 70-series on their website, so it’s hard to find info as to their current specification and which engines meet current emissions standards.
It would seem that Passin’Gas (who uploaded these shots) wasn’t the only person interested in this Toyota. That, or the person seen here snapping pictures is a member of the team driving this camper through the states. If someone knows how they got here and what they’re doing here, please share.
Related reading: 1989 Land Cruiser HJ75, 1970 FJ55 Land Cruiser and 1965 FJ Land Cruiser
Well you can add me to the folks who would love to have one. I’ll have mine in the manual trannie,straight six flavor please.
These are a great truck which I’ve had some experience with. Toughness and durability second to none. Engines pretty good. Off road the ones I’ve driven were good but not jk wrangler or Defender good. I keep meaning to post some Canadian 70 series pics.
It’s unforgivable that this version of the Land Cruiser was never sold here in the USA. It’s even more unforgivable that the Land Cruiser was never offered here in the USA with a diesel engine. Is diesel for everyone? No, of course not. But I believe that it should be allowed to be offered so that when we buy an SUV and Land Cruiser pickup truck, *we* can decide what works best for our needs and wants.
You’ve already decided, even if you don’t realize it.
They don’t import them because guys like you who claim to want them (a) don’t actually buy them (or at least enough of them to make it worthwhile) and (b) those of you who would buy them won’t pay enough to make it profitable.
Toyota isn’t a charity. It isn’t going to sell stuff at a loss just to please a few guys on the internet.
*I* didn’t decide on anything. Sometimes, though, I wish I had, I would’ve chosen an Aussie built right-hand drive Toyota Land Cruiser, similar to the one in the picture at the beginning, with a turbodiesel engine.
A diesel base model single-cab Land Cruiser 70 in Australia has a sticker price of about US$45k + tax, and the price goes up from there.
Or you can buy a Toyota Tacoma here with a sticker price of under $30k. Guess which one that most Americans would choose?
Americans aren’t going to pay the high prices that just about everyone else outside the US has to pay. It’s nice that we get better pricing, but the downside is that we don’t get the variety.
If there were a lot of Americans who were willing to shell out $50k for a simple diesel truck, then there would be plenty to choose from. But there aren’t many Americans who want diesels, and those who do want them aren’t willing to pay nearly that much, Accordingly, they don’t bother to sell them to us.
So diesel isn’t for everyone. Fine. But why should customers have to look elsewhere when they need a diesel powered truck? Why should they have to buy a Ford F250 or F350 with a Powerstroke Diesel, a Chevy/GMC 2500 or 3500 Duramax, or a Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 with a Cummins Diesel if they need a diesel? Why can’t Toyota offer one for the Tundra, the Land Cruiser, or Tacoma? Or Nissan for the Titan, the NV1500-NV3500 van, or the Frontier? Why should anyone have to look to the American car makers if they want a diesel truck? Answer that one if you can!
I’ve explained it — it’s money.
The average internet fan of obscure cars that no one else wants is willing to pay $20k or so for what needs to be priced for twice that amount. Surely you can understand why there isn’t much interest in accomodating that.
Well right now you can buy a Ram 1500 or Promaster with a diesel. Plus, fairly soon it will be possible to buy a Colorado, Canyon, Transit, and Titan with a diesel.
The Grand Cherokee and German SUVs are also all offered with a diesel, although I don’t think many of those are seeing too much heavy work in the US.
Sometimes I look at all the cars North Americans cant buy because the US government thinks they know best and have to think differently (ECE and F/CMVSS regs differ a lot) in the name of safety and the environment. All I can think is I hate this stupid country.
I agree. I’ve never understood why the US govt feels they have to decide everything for us. I’m not against obeying the law if I knew why the law is what it is, or if it makes sense. I’m not against safety, but who the hell is the US Govt. to decide what makes for a safe vehicle? That doesn’t make sense.
The reality is that the US standards came first so why should we in the US take a step backwards because other places have lower standards or worry about pedestrian safety vs occupant safety?
The reason these safety standards exist is that the govt. is afraid we might drive our cars recklessly and end up killing ourselves and possibly other people. I’m sure there are people who are that insane who will do that kind of thing, but I’m sure that 90% of the drivers are safe drivers, who simply want to get from point A to point B safely, without accidents.
If the govt wasn’t as strict and people were killed as a result of the lax safety regulations then the public would have a fit.
Damned if you do damned if you don’t. These kind of cars would appeal to a very small number of people anyway.
You’re not kidding. If that isn’t crazy, I don’t know what is. It’s not just safety regulations, but emissions regulations. I want to breathe clean air as much as most people do, but the regulations that govt. imposes on car manufacturers are unrealistic, at best. 🙁
So you’re saying the US government forbid Toyota from ever selling this Land Cruiser?
Not just that Toyota decided not to certify and import them because there wasn’t a market, right?
We could get any car a manufacturer chooses to bring here. That’s called free-market capitalism. If Peugeot thought they could make money in the US, they’d sell cars here. Diesels even. No one is stopping them. The reason we don’t, is because Peugeot decided they wouldn’t make enough money selling their cars to Americans. End of story
OMG! Skinny truck, jacked up on big tires, with a tall camper? Forget driving in a crosswind. Forget driving on a curved onramp any faster than a crawl. That thing would blow off the Mackinac Bridge in anything more than a gentle breeze. I wonder if they took it across the Golden Gate?
Yeah it looks like it would be quite the handful to drive, not something I would want to do. Plus that camper seriously limits its true off-road abilities for anything other than relatively flat open trails. No envy here.
Typical American pantywaist comments – the center of gravity isn’t that high on this rig !! (How much time does one spend on the golden gate, or similar , in this ?)
(How much time does one spend on the golden gate, or similar , in this ?)
It only takes a few minutes. The Mackinac has wind speed limits, beyond which, high profile vehicles, or all vehicles are kept off the bridge.
Even with those limits, not everyone makes it unscathed.
I only spoke to the owners very briefly to ask if they minded me taking some photos, and to confirm that they were visiting from Switzerland. They were an older couple (notice the passenger in the first shot eyeing the bay with her binoculars). The guy in the third photo was just one of the many photogs who document the GG bridge on a daily basis, though he too seemed to take an interest in the Landcruiser.
It was initially the paint job that attracted me to the vehicle. When I noticed it was the rarely sighted 70 series, I had to shoot it. Backdrop was appealing too.
Sweet looking Land Cruiser. It’s a shame that this version was never imported to North America.
Nice truck. Bet if they lengthened the bed that that truck would be all over the place used by tradesman alike. We’ve discussed the T100 before and that was considered kinda of failure but I still see so many of them around in use by actually tradesman. This would have been a nice predecessor. I mean the new Tundras and Nissan Titans are the size of WWII bombers now. This 70 would be such a great suburban/city truck.
Actually over landing tourism from europe seems to be in now, the last few times Ive gone to Maine Ive seen one or two expedition rigs with euro plates (and no state plates) each time. Last time in it was Unimog camper in Portland.
The only thing wrong with it is it should be filthy dirty and splattered with mud.
I don’t want the camper. The only advantages to carrying one versus towing one would be the fees. Toll roads, ferries etc.
I want it for a DD. I’m in love with my 4runner and think an uncluttered engine compartment with a straight six would be even better. I’m also a sucker for those slab sides.
A government that would not allow this for traffic safety but would allow donks is comprised of fools. You talk about the tall body and the wind but I am convinced that the trunklid flapping donk I saw last night would go belly up in anything but a breeze. Philosophically I am against government interference but you can practically count the lobotomy scars on some drivers.
If someone wants to give me one of these I promise to drive safely and not drive in the wind.
What the hell is up with all the anti-government sentiment on here? This is a car site.
And if we really want to get technical, the US government didn’t “fordbid” these Land Cruiser’s from coming here, Toyota chose to not import them. It’s not as if it was impossible for this vehicle to be brought here new by Toyota.
Toyota, you know, a gigantic capitalist, money making, private company, didn’t see enough of a market to certify them for the US. Just like how we don’t get 1000’s of other cars, not because the US forbids it, but because these companies don’t think there’s a market to certify them for us. It’s not as if Europe and Asia don’t have crash test requirements, and safety standards too, so that’s why they get the “cool” cars. They get “cool” cars because that’s the cars their consumers actually purchase. We get Ridgeline’s and RAV4’s because that’s what Americans will actually purchase.
But in the same breath, you’d be PRO the government outlawing older modified cars (Donks) because they’re not your style. Really?!?!
Thank you.
And I should point out that the Feds only set regulations for and certify new cars (that the manufacturers choose to offer). States regulate after-sale modifications.
The advantage of a truck camper is that you can tow a boat too.
Off road where you need a Landcruisers capability a trailer is a liability.A Landcruiser is not that narrow and the heavy bits are near chassis level.
The front bodywork is the 6 cylinder model, a late model version with the 5 lug wheels not 6. Same era as the 100 series wagon, but the commercials have their origins in the mid 1980s, only the lower standards for commercial vehicles and popularity in Africa etc keep it alive.
Yep saw a doco recently about the Toureg peoples and they have dozens if not hundreds of Landcruiser utes, and no they will not follow a Landrover Defender off road but neither will a Jeep or anything else for that matter.
What exactly makes a Defender better than an LC70 or JK Wrangler Rubicon off road? They can all be equipped with lockers in both axles (all of them having solid axles at both ends which is excellent). From there it’s a matter of geometry (approach/departure/breakover/clearance) as well as articulation. Add to that powertrain and low range gearing, all 3 trucks seem well matched here as well. Is it just nationalism talking Bryce?
My understanding is that in the ‘bush’ and Africa, Toyotas have superseded the Landies as the go-to 4×4. In the US, not much can touch a JK wrangler Rubicon in sheer technical capability stock for stock.
As an interesting comparison, I saw this UK tagged Defender camper in Savannah, GA last summer. A much smaller camper portion than this Land Cruiser. The back seat appeared to only be used to hold (Union Jack patterned) luggage. Personally, I’d probably rather have the relative comfort and reliability of the Land Cruiser camper if I was doing any inter-continental driving.
Another angle
Thank you for these photos!
Very nicely packaged.
Sweet looking Land Rover.
Around 2003 or so the official import of the 70 series came to an end. Something about European emission regulations. Back then it had the naturally aspirated old school 4.2 liter straight six diesel, 125 hp IIRC.
The local beekeeper bought a new one just in time, he still has it. Grey with a white top, short wheelbase. Quite a machine.
Still, now and then I see more recent models on the road. Must be gray imports, just like all US pickup trucks. No 25 year rule here, buy whatever you want. If the official importers can’t help you, then get it yourself.
No thanks. And the Switzerland sign on the front is no doubt a fake to make folks think its on an around the world trek. Very pretentious and Texans laugh at little kiddie toys like this
Something tells me that the plates on the front and on the back are not fake.
And a Land Cruiser may be smaller than a Texas made Tundra, but I guess the whole African continent and Australia can’t be wrong.
Agreed. In oz the Land Cruiser is the default choice for a roadable serious 4WD and has been for a long time. All others are considered the alternatives, which is not to say they are any less capable. Pretentious is more applicable to the Lexus LX570 version of the 200 series Land Cruiser.
The 200 series with the 4.5 liter V8 diesel is available here. Able to pull a 22,000 lbs trailer, legally. How about that for a kiddie toy.
Around the corner is an LX kitted out entirely in black, including the logos. Makes me giggle everytime I see it. Pretentious… Moi?
A Porsche Cayenne that wants to be a Ferrari, now that’s pretentious….
Hehehe. Stored that one for future use…
It’s for sale Don, make the guy an offer he can’t refuse !
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-cayenne-red-4-5-s-v8-fully-loaded-LPG-GAS-Low-milage-EXTRAS-/331171643126#ht_1564wt_1142
Everybody laughs at Texans with their itty bitty state and big mouths
Be advised that you are not speaking for all Texans.
I was going to say the same thing but then realized how about if we compromise and have Toyota release a Land Cruiser 70 Texas Edition? All hat and no cattle?
I see some photos of a truck from Switzerland. I must have missed the pretentious part.
@ Pch101: I disagree about the money. I’m sure there are plenty of people who can afford to buy a diesel powered vehicle, they’re just not in the market for one at the time. And when they do need a diesel powered vehicle, they’re not available.
It’s easy for you to disagree, because you aren’t responsible for making sure that car companies generate profits.
Automakers need scale. Accomodating tiny niches for customers who aren’t willing to pay the freight doesn’t make any financial sense for them. They aren’t hobbyist, they are corporations that need to make money.
Ironically, those regulations that you hate are leading to more diesels being offered to Americans. Chrysler intends to use diesels to aid in its CAFE compliance targets.
At least diesels are getting a niche. It may not be a big one, but it’s there. I’d buy a Toyota Tacoma if it were available with a diesel engine.
Today I met the couple that built and own the Land Cruiser shown in the original post while on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Roanoke, VA. They built the vehicle in Switzerland and had it shipped to Buenos Aires. For the last two years they have been touring both South and North America. So far they have been up the west coast all the way to Alaska and are currently working their way north along through the east. They said that they still have another four years to finish their tour of the Americas.