Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series Gains 70th Anniversary Edition Pickups In South Africa

Back in August, Toyota launched the 70th Anniversary Special Edition of the immortal Land Cruiser 70 Series for the Australian market, and now the company is bringing a similarly specced pickup in South Africa.

Unlike Australia, which got 600 units of the 70th Anniversary Special Edition divided into 320 double cabs, 200 single cabs, and 80 wagons, South Africa only gets an undisclosed number of single-cab and double-cab pickups codenamed Land Cruiser 79. For those who aren’t good with bodystyle codes, the 76 is the wagon (SUV) and the 78 is the troop carrier.

Read Also: Toyota Will Keep Upgrading The Immortal Land Cruiser 70 Series

Besides the 70th-anniversary badges, the flagship trim level stand out visually thanks to a redesigned grille with Toyota lettering, a snorkel, an off-road bumper with integrated bull-bar, a hood scoop, a metal rear bumper, and a different bed cover. The model is available in either Ivory White or Sand Beige exterior color with standard 16-inch alloy wheels and 265/70R16 tires.

In terms of off-road credentials, the pickup has a respectable 235 mm (9.3 inches) ground clearance, a 33° approach angle, and a 27° departure angle irrespective of the bodystyle. In fact, besides the addition of rear doors and the second row of seats, the total length of 5,245 mm (206.5 inches) and the 3,180 mm (125.2 inches) wheelbase are identical in both variants. Towing capacity is 3,500 kg (7,716 pounds) braked while the rear bed can hold up to 1,005 kg (2,216 pounds) of cargo.

The turbocharged 4.5-liter V8 diesel engine produces 202 hp (151 kW / 205 PS) and 430Nm (317 lb-ft) of torque, sending power to all four wheels through a five-speed manual transmission with standard low-range gearing and front/rear differential locks. If you were wondering about performance, top speed is 160 km/h (99 mph), although low rpm torque is always more important in a traditional body-on-frame offroader like this.

Read Also: New Generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Rumored For 2022

Despite the fact it was first introduced back in 1984, the 70 Series Land Cruiser has been updated several times with the last facelift bringing a more modern dashboard. The South African anniversary model doesn’t get the fancy steering wheel or the wooden trim and leather upholstery of the equivalent Australian version, but it does come with a 6.1-inch infotainment touchscreen featuring Navigation and Apple CarPlay / Android Auto connectivity. Other than that, standard equipment is basic, including manual air-conditioning, bottle holders, electric windows, a lockable glove box, and an anti-theft system.

The Land Cruiser 70th Anniversary Edition is already available in South Africa at a price of R889,700 ($54,869) for the single cab, or R943,100 ($58,162) for the double cab. By comparison, the significantly more modern Land Cruiser Prado starts at R997,500 ($61,548), while the cheapest variant of the brand-new Land Cruiser Series 300 sells for R1,283,200 ($79,177).