One of the bigger stories of the summer is the return of the Toyota Land Cruiser for 2024. This mythical model has only been absent from the American market for two years, but we haven't seen it here since 1996, even though a close cousin was marketed by Lexus under the GX nameplate.
We won't have to wait much longer to see the new model - Toyota has confirmed the big unveiling will take place on August 1st, one week from today. The model will be presented in the evening, at 9:20 p.m. (Eastern time).
To add a little spice to its announcement, Toyota shared an image showing part of the front end. The squared-off design confirms that the Land Cruiser will continue be a close relative of the recently unveiled new Lexus GX.
We can therefore expect a very similar shape from front to rear.
What remains to be determined and confirmed are the powertrains that will serve the model. Some reports circulating over the past few weeks suggest the use of 4-cylinder blocks only, but the GX offers a 3.4L turbo V6. A hybrid powertrain will also follow in its case, perhaps the 437-hp iForce Max V6 engine from the Tundra pickup.
Toyota's new vehicles also rely on a 2.4L turbocharged 4-cylinder, including with the Highlander and Grand Highlander models and the new-generation Tacoma pickup. In the latter case, power will be increased to 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque; this could also serve the Land Cruiser well, especially if the company wants the GX to benefit from mechanical exclusivities.
In short, no matter how much we speculate, we'll know next week.
What we can expect, however, is a multitude of versions, many of them designed for off-road driving.
Join us next week for all the details.