Although it has rocked the automotive world with a tidal wave of introductions, Toyota shows no signs of slowing down after models like the Crown, Prius 'Hybrid Reborn,' 2024 Grand Highlander, N400 Tacoma, a raft of GR special editions, and now also the mighty 2024 Land Cruiser.
The legendary off-roader was presented as the J300 Land Cruiser in the summer of 2021, but that series was only available in certain regions, not worldwide. Finally, two years later, the Japanese automaker has rectified that mistake and opted for the 'light duty' variant, now dubbed J250, to appear just about everywhere – at home in Japan, Australia, Europe, China, and also return following a short, three-year hiatus, to North America.
There it has some interesting characteristics – such as the two different font styles based on trims, plus the exclusive use of the 2.4-liter hybrid turbo i-Force Max powertrain inherited from the latest 2024 Tacoma with 326 electrified ponies. Other regions get slightly different flavors of the new model, though. For example, at home in Japan, the nameplate is 'Land Cruiser 250' to ensure it's not confused with the larger J300 Land Cruiser.
In Australia or parts of Europe, meanwhile, it keeps the classic 'Land Cruiser Prado' moniker and is motivated by a completely different powertrain – a 2.8-liter packing 150 kW (201 hp/204 ps) mated to a new eight-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission and able to tow up to 3,500 kg (7,716 lbs). From early 2025, this diesel will also mix up with 48-Volt mild hybrid technology to make it a tiny bit more sustainable.
The association between a turbo diesel and its formidable off-road chops is natural, of course. Still, we bet that Aussies and maybe even the diehard Old Continent fans would love the 2024 Prado even more if the Land Cruiser had a cargo bed perched behind the reduced-size cabin. And perhaps they wouldn't even feel the need for a new Hilux if that happened.
Well, slim chances of that ever happening in the real world, given the development costs and the fact that, most likely, Toyota will continue down the Hilux line for a long while. But the imaginative realm of digital car content creators is fine with retconning true facts. So, this virtual artist, known as Theottle on social media, has resorted to CGI slicing and dicing the 2024 Land Cruiser to make it commercially ready.
He did so according to fan requests after his followers were impressed by his treatment of the 2024 Land Cruiser returning to CGI roots and morphing into a feisty open-top three-door Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler competitor. Plus, the pixel master recently took good care of the related TNGA-F-based 2024 Lexus GX 550 when it, too, got transformed into something that would make the Ford F-150 tremble and shiver with anxiety.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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