Toyota’s current-gen 200 Series Land Cruiser is set to end production sometime in the near future after nearly 15 years, and for North America, it won’t be returning – at least for the 2022MY.
Ever since that announcement was made, there has been speculation as to when a new Land Cruiser would arrive. Now, according to a report from CarAdvice, there’s a chance that the next generation of the famed off-roader could be unveiled on August 1st this year, which coincides with the model’s 70th anniversary.
The speculation seems to stem mainly from social media activity from the Land Cruiser’s former chief engineer, who has posted a series of countdown posts to the anniversary. However, it’s not clear if this is just a celebration of the event, or a clue that this may be the introduction of the new model.
Read More: The “Wonder” Land Cruiser Is A Weird Reverse Facelift
Based on the timing, there’s been some speculation the new Land Cruiser would be unveiled in the first half of 2021. But now, given all the new information, an August unveiling would certainly make sense for reasons other than just an anniversary.
The factory responsible for producing the Land Cruiser had shut down due to the pandemic, and then there was conjecture involving forthcoming changes at the factory before the new model arrived. Under normal circumstances, Toyota showrooms would have been able to build up enough inventory to sustain sales until the new model’s arrival, but an unexpected spike in demand for the SUV had somewhat derailed that. The final models are expected to be delivered in April, which will create a void in the lineup until the new model arrives.
See Also: Is Toyota Considering A GR Variant Of The Land Cruiser?
While in the U.S., the Land Cruiser is only available with a one engine option, a 5.7-liter V8, according to a report from Autoweek, the next-generation model could reportedly be sold with a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 hybrid and a 3.3-liter turbodiesel amongst other options. The new model is also supposed to improve on the current one’s off-roading capability, despite allegedly using a modified version of the same platform.