Cruising back to the future

This homage to the FJ40 Land Cruiser has had a cult following in the US since its launch in 2006. Now the beast is coming to New Zealand, writes DAVE MOORE.

BMW did it with the new Mini, as did Volkswagen with the reborn Beetle, and Fiat had a go with the modern 500. Well, Toyota went the retro way into a modern vehicle about seven years ago, for the United States market with a truck-based sport-utility-vehicle that is a homage to a model from its distant past.

Toyota North America first showed its FJ Cruiser Concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2003. It was created by Jin Kim, a 25-year old designer who was tasked with creating a fully functional modern four-wheel- drive with cues of the original Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser.

It was contrived, says Toyota, to connect two growing markets in the US: the light-truck segment and the emerging youth market.

Show-goers loved the FJ Cruiser Concept, from its familiar slot-like, narrow grille, round headlights and offset combination lamps. Additional homages to the old FJ40 are also an upright windshield and two-tone cap roof.

Power for the show car was provided by a 3.4-litre V6, with a supercharger making 250-horsepower, running through a four-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel- drive with low range. The final production design of the FJ Cruiser was a joint project by the Toyota Motor Corporation and Calty Design Research, and although that first show car was based on a Tacoma pickup platform, the production version of the FJ Cruiser rides on modified 4Runner underpinnings.

The production machine, launched in late 2005 for the 2006 model year, exchanged the blown 3.4 for a normally aspirated 4.0-litre V6 with almost as much power, but better everyday performance, thanks to a five- speed automatic.

In the US, the FJ Cruiser can be optioned with either two- wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive configurations and there's even a six-speed manual available, but only on four-wheel-drive versions. I'd guess that a single automatic four-wheel-drive model will feature in New Zealand. The vehicle has 17-inch wheels and four-wheel disc brakes, vehicle stability control and traction control, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist as standard.

Utility features include a two- part rear hatch with flip-up glass, black mudguards, and silver bumper extenders, mirrors, door handles and skid plate. Easy rear passenger entry into the two-door SUV is achieved with reversed rear access doors.

All front and rear seats fold flat, creating ample cargo space and maximum usability. With no gaps and a durable floor covering, the FJ Cruiser can be converted into a deck large enough for two people in sleeping bags.

The instrument panel is finished in its exterior colour trim. Round inset instrumentation communicates a mechanical appearance. Standard in the FJ Cruiser are airconditioning, an AM/FM CD audio with six speakers, tilt steering wheel, four cupholders, and an upper dash-mounted map/ glove box.

The right-hand-drive FJ Cruiser will be launched at the Sydney Motor Show in October and will arrive in showrooms soon after. Pricing has not been decided, but using the Toyota Prado as a guide, I would say we would be lucky to get change from $90,000. But heck, apart from those obvious rear-quarter blind spots, its looks great, doesn't it?

- © Fairfax NZ News