It's not every day you see a Land Cruiser try to beat a superbike like the Suzuki GSX-R1000 in a series of complicated, twisted off-road tracks. But then again... here we are, so without further notice, let's get muddy and see if the old Landy can handle a heavily modified 2-wheeled legend.
Before heading off to the mud-infested course, let's meet our contestants and learn a bit about them, for they both have a story to tell.
First, we have the myth, the legend, the mighty 2002 Toyota Land Cruiser, otherwise known as the J100 model. Behind the wheel is Mat Watson from the "carwow" YouTube channel. The Land Cruiser cost a whopping... 5,000 British Pounds or 6,372 US dollars. This old-school mammoth has 275,771 miles or 443,810 on the odometer.
Aside from the classic green exterior paint job and the beige interior, this tank is equipped with a 4.7-liter V8 gasoline engine that can produce 235 hp or 238 ps and 320 lb-ft or 434 Nm of torque. It has an all-wheel-drive system and a 5-speed automatic gearbox.
In its heyday, it could have hit 62 mph or 100 kph in 11.2 seconds with a top speed of 118.84 mph or 180 kph. It's not all that impressive in the power department, but the J100 wasn't made for "speeeeeeeeeed," as Clarkson puts it. This thing was made for chillaxing on a soft, comfy cloud of luxury due to its front-independent suspension.
Photo: carwow
However, in certain parts of the world, Toyota also made this model with a 4.2-liter inline-six turbo Diesel engine that delivered 201 hp (204 ps) with 317 lb-ft or 430 Nm of torque. The Diesel engine had even lower performances when it came to speed, going from 0-62 mph in 13.6 seconds, with a top speed of 106 mph or 171 kph.
On the other side of the muddy ring, we have another mythological beast, the 2002 Suzuki GSX-R1000 K2. In 2001, Rider Magazine named it "Bike of the Year."
The K2 was based on the GSX-R750 model, albeit with some tuning and other modifications. This particular bike was taken a step further to the next level and went under the hammer for even more serious upgrades. It produces 138 hp or 140 ps and weighs 436 kg or 198 kilograms.
So, what's different about this bike? Well, for starters, it was fitted with a motocross front wheel and armor plating underneath for obvious reasons. It even has 3D-printed wings to keep an eye on the water level. The bike on its lonesome cost 3,000 British Pounds or $3,821, but the mods cost another 2,000 GBP or $2,547.
Photo: carwow
Now for the challenges! First, they went for an uphill drag race where the Suzuki won without breaking a sweat, while Mat's Toyota couldn't even make it all the way up. Of course, they went for a rematch, and while the Land Cruiser finally made it up the hill, it still lost.
Another challenge through muddy waters and heavily deformed terrain followed soon after. It was to see which vehicle had more traction and maneuverability. Of course, the bike won again. In fact, it even did so with style, catching some air right at the end.
While the first series of challenges went to the Suzuki, Mat managed to catch up point-wise and ended in a draw. But because the bike was so impressive, he stepped down from the muddy podium and let the Suzuki take home the prize.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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