The
2008 Toyota Land Cruiser 200 series will be unveiled in October at the upcoming motor show in Sydney, Australia. Just like its more luxurious sibling, the
2008 Lexus LX 570, the new TLC200 will be available with a couple of powerful V8 engines working on either gas or diesel fuel. It could have been more handsome, though.
The SUV will get 60mm longer, 30mm wider and 15mm higher than its predecessor, providing enough useful volume for a comfortable off-road driving. Land Cruiser's full-frame structure has been strengthened to increase safety, reduce noise and vibration and enhance interior comfort. The vehicle now features a double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs, which comes in place of the previous torsion-bar set-up, improving handling and stability.
The real off-roaders are not that good on a decent pavement, so 2008 Toyota LandCruiser will also feature a hydraulic Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS), controlling the front and rear stabilizer bars for better on-road stability.
There will also be a CRAWL automatic speed control system, making it easier to drive the car on surfaces such as rocks, sand or steep hills. The system lets the driver set the desired speed in one of three levels varying between 1 km/h and 5 km/h and focus all of his/her attention on the road (or the lack thereof).
The 2008 Toyota Land Cruiser 200 seats up to eight passengers and comes with such safety equipment as vehicle stability control and up to 10 airbags - front, side and knee airbags for the driver and front passenger, side airbags for the outboard second-row seats and curtain shield airbags for all three rows.
The list of options includes smart entry and smart start, Bluetooth, satellite navigation and steering wheel controls.
In the United States, the V8-powered luxury SUV will start at $63,200. It will arrive to Europe only in December.
See also:
Toyota Land Cruiser Invincible gets more power
