The all-new Toyota LandCruiser 300 is expected to be unveiled in August this year with its V8 dropped in favour of a more-powerful hybrid powertrain.
There’s been talk of the next-generation Toyota LandCruiser 300 for some time now but it’s speculation around the powertrain that’ll have most Aussies cocking their heads like a confused puppy. See, if Japan’s Best Car Web is to be believed, and it’s usually bang on when it comes to this sort of stuff then the next-generation Land Cruiser, which will be revealed in August, will feature a hybrid powertrain with the V8 thrown in the bin.
Earlier this week, Best Car Web ran a yarn on the new LandCruiser, sorry, it’s taken me this long to translate the thing, suggesting the current vehicle’s 4.5-litre twin-turbo V8 will be dropped in favour of a 3.5-litre V6 petrol electric (two electric motors) – this is the same engine as in the Lexus LC 500h. This new petrol donk is expected to make 220kW and 348Nm of torque, but the hybrid system will add 132kW and 300Nm for a combined output of 264kW (Toyota doesn’t provide combined torque figures for its hybrid vehicles). So, the new LandCruiser 300 will be more powerful than the V8 model now.
There’s talk the new LandCruiser 300 will be lighter than the current vehicle (thanks to the use of the brand’s Toyota New Global Architecture – F platform) but, as of right now, there’s no confirmation on that. The look of the LandCruiser 300 is expected to change slightly but keep the vehicle’s boxy look. Dimensions are expected to run from 4950mm long, 1980mm wide and 1870mm high with the wheelbase potentially growing by 50mm to 2900mm. Wheel sizes run from 17-20-inches and there are expected to be five- and eight-seat options.
On the inside, there are expected to be design changes to bring the LandCruiser into line with other Toyota models, with the infotainment screen growing from 7.0-inches to 8.0-inches. And it’s expected to feature the full raft of Toyota’s Safety Sense active and passive safety features.
Question: What do you think about a hybrid LandCruiser?
