2008 Toyota Land Cruiser

Hard to imagine, but the Toyota Land Cruiser has been around in one form or another since 1954, arriving in the United States four years after the original namesake was made in Japan.

When we say "one form or another," we're talking about some pretty radical shifts in shape and size. From its spartan Jeep-inspired origins, the Land Cruiser evolved into today's luxury monster with capacity for eight passengers and a price tag of $63,200.

By 1976, the still modest Land Cruiser was popular enough to inspire enthusiast Bob Garrett to create what became the Toyota Land Cruiser Association in Oxnard, Calif. The Southern California terrain of rugged mountain trails, bucolic farmland and scenic coastline made an ideal proving ground for the doughty SUV.

Today, it's less likely that an owner would take his or her Toyota luxury liner into unpaved harm's way. Hence, Toyota is touting the seventh generation as "King of the On-Road," as well as "King of the Off-Road."

Certainly, it will cost you a king's ransom to own one. The window sticker on the 2008 model arriving in showrooms in October represents a price increase of $6,985, or 12.4 percent over the previous model. Per pound, the price comes to a little over $11 for the nearly 3-ton vehicle.

And then there's the fuel economy, if you want to call it that. With full-time 4-wheel-drive, the Land Cruiser covers 13 miles per gallon in the city and 18 on the highway. Compared to the 1976 Jeep Wagoneer, that's not bad.

But let's face it, the buyer of the Land Cruiser is looking for brawn, not economy. And the 2008 model is long on brawn, with a 5.7-liter, 32-valve, 381-horsepower V8 that can pull an 8,500-pound trailer.

The full-time 4-wheel-drive system on the Land Cruiser operates through a six-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted like a manual. The underpinnings remain rugged, and Toyota has enhanced the big brute's ability to traverse trails while enhancing the interior comforts.

A new high-mount double-wishbone independent front suspension and four-link rear suspension with a solid live axle are designed for better performance on-road or off. A Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (those KDSS), varies the stiffness of the anti-sway bars according to conditions. The 18-inch alloy wheels are clad in mud-and-snow steel belted radial tires.

The Cruiser is also equipped with a Crawl Control system that modulates momentum in downhill maneuvers that require the driver's full visual attention. With the transfer case shifted into low range, Crawl controls engine speed and output, along with braking force, to propel the vehicle forward or in reverse at one of three low-speed settings.

Other electronic safety systems include power, vented-disc brakes with multi-terrain anti-lock braking system. Braking force and torque are apportioned to each wheel by Electronic Brake-force Distribution, Brake Assist, Active Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Control. Or, ABSEBDBAATCVSC for short.

Panels behind the front bumper, extending under the engine and behind the rear wheels protect the engine and transmission and to help the vehicle survive rocky terrain. The panels also smooth airflow under the vehicle to reduce drag and turbulence at high speeds.

Seating is designed for two in the front, and three each in the second and third rows while leaving plenty of room for cargo in the back.

A new multi-zone air conditioning eliminates the conventional switching operation. Passengers get four-zone independent control with 28 air vents. First and second-row passengers have access to individual climate control.

The instrument panel features a set of bright Optitron gauges with clear turquoise illumination. Beneath the main gauges is a display that shows gear selection, odometer, tripmeter, fuel consumption, individual tire pressure for all five tires and cruising range.

The center console features a gate-type shifter with sequential shift mode operation, the parking brake, a storage box with several compartments and a removable tray, universal mini-jack port and cupholders.

A one-touch tumble release on the second-row seats clears a path for third-row passengers. The second-row seats now slide forward and aft 4.1 inches for more comfort and cargo storage.

The 2008 Cruiser has many an air bag to protect its passengers. In addition to the front air bags are: seat-mounted side airbags; second row seat-mounted inflatables; three-row roll-sensing side curtain airbags with roll-sensing cutoff switch; and driver and front passenger knee airbags.

While the new Land Cruiser faces plenty of peril at the pump, it carries excellent survival skills in the form of Toyota's durable reputation for reliability and quality.

Jim Lentz, executive vice president, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

"For more than 50 years, the Land Cruiser has delivered on-and-off-road capability and performance, and this generation will raise the ante for overall capability and comfort," said Jim Lentz, executive vice president, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.

source: info.detnews.com