Last chance to get a V8 Landcruiser before they all run out…

Toyota dominated Vfacts reporting for Australian car sales in March 2021 with four of the top ten selling models all belonging to the Japanese brand.

While it is no surprise that the omnipresent Hilux ute took out number one spot (5319 sales) ahead of Ford’s Ranger (3983), it was the LandCruiser wagon’s surge into the eighth spot (with 2242 units) that helped boost Toyota’s total sales tally in March to 21,319 (56,310 YTD). Taking out third and fifth spots were the Rav4 (3520) and Corolla (2892), with Mazda splitting the pair thanks to strong CX-5 sales (3022).

So what gives with the Landcruiser wagon’s climb up the sales chart by almost80 per cent? Toyota is axing the V8 once the new LandCruiser 300 Series arrives with a likely V6 diesel turbo and potential petrol hybrid options. That new model is not far away and there is not much remaining stock of new V8-powered Landcruisers, with one dealer telling us that a punter purchased its two last LandCruiser Sahara models over the phone – for around $250,000 – which are understood to have been flipped to private sellers for a tidy profit.

Is it a sign that the new Landcruiser with its smaller engine, short a couple of cylinders than we are used to, will be a bit on the nose when it arrives? It will likely fare well given the outputs are to be ballpark or more than the current 4.5-litre diesel twin-turbo V8’s 200kW and 650Nm. That’s a lot of grunt to push through a smaller bent six, but it should mean a continuation of the same 3500kg braked towing capacity, even if it is a little more laboured in use. We’ll wait and see.

For those that don’t need diesel, the Nissan Patrol in newly facelifted guise will continue to be offered and with a petrol 5.6-litre V8. Sales for March 305 units, and 878 TYD compared to the Landcruiser’s 5069. As we understand, the main constraint holding the Patrol back is supply, as the local office says they can’t get enough of them for keen customers.

Nonetheless, it’s a shame to see one of the last great V8’s depart the market, for both the 70 Series and Landcruiser wagon.