Presentation by Simon Humphries
Good morning, everyone.
The history of Land Cruiser, is a history of Toyota itself.
Let me take you back exactly 72 years, when the Land Cruiser legend was born.
It was the time of Kiichiro Toyoda, founder of Toyota Motor Corporation.
The company was only 14 years old, a disruptive “start-up” in the automotive world.
Corolla and Crown, were still to come, and Toyota was hardly known outside Japan.
Fast forward to today, and Land Cruiser is sold in 170 countries and regions around the world…
Literally, Land Cruiser put Toyota on the map.
Lifelong bonds are often formed in the most demanding of circumstances, and our customers have experienced the extremes of life alongside their Land Cruisers…
From prairies to deserts, from the North to the South poles, it is safe to say, Land Cruiser has seen more sides of life than any other automobile in history.
Mud, ice, sand, salt…
Across the planet there are many perilous roads…
At Toyota, we like to say “the road makes the car”.
With Land Cruiser, “the car makes the road”.
These roads connect communities and enable irreplaceable ways of life.
– In rural Africa, a doctor rushes to a patient through floodwaters.
– In the Australian outback, an elderly woman takes a two-day roundtrip to the nearest town.
– In Antarctica, an observation team works in a minus 45-degree blizzard…
…Indeed, one of the first cars to conquer Antarctica was a Land Cruiser 40 Series.
Moving to one of the hottest places on earth…
the first exports of Land Cruiser were to the Middle East in the mid-1950’s.
Thanks to Saudi Arabian car distributor Abdul Jameel, local folklore now says “Only a Land Cruiser, or a camel, can get you over these dunes”.
But it was here in Japan, in an area only accessible on horseback, that the story began.
In 1951, on the steep volcanic slopes of Mt. Fu ji.
development of the first-generation Land Cruiser, the Toyota BJ, started at the request of the Japan National Police Reserve.
This sounds like the perfect story, but in reality, it didn’t get the job.
But like any good recruit, it set out to prove itself.
and became the first ever vehicle to reach the 6th station of Mt. Fu ji, an altitude of 2,700 m.
This resilience paid off:
it got its first commission as a police patrol car, and its goal in life became clear, to protect livelihoods.
You see before you many examples of Land Cruisers throughout the years.
What unites them is simple:
their ultimate mission is to take you wherever you need to go, and always bring you back.
If a Land Cruiser breaks down, it is not just a matter of inconvenience…
It can become a threat to life itself.
The value of Land Cruiser comes down to one word…
TRUST.
The trust to put my life in your hands.
The Toyota BJ that laid that foundation of trust, has a direct descendant…
the 70 series.
This may be a workhorse, but it has become an icon…
The legend itself.
We received many comments from fans on social media, pleading with us not to let it go…
“Don’t change a thing!”, they said.
Well, we listened…
and today I am pleased to reveal that we committed to updating the 70 to keep that legend alive.
Seeing this refreshed Land Cruiser 70 next to its ancestors, there is no questioning its loyalty to its roots…
It is proud to be raw and utilitarian.
Under the revised bodywork, we made just the updates functionally necessary:
a new, more efficient engine and transmission…
and advanced safety features.
If the 70 is the essence of Land Cruiser…
then the flagship Land Cruiser 300, is the pinnacle.
But today…
I want to talk about what lies between those two worlds…
Today is all about defining the CORE of Land Cruiser.
Land Cruiser has special meaning for our Chairman Akio Toyoda, whose grandfather first introduced the vehicle.
When it came to developing the new core model, his task to us was simple… deceptively simple…
“Genten Kaiki”
Taken literally, this means “Back to the Origin”.
He didn’t go into detail…
it was up to us to work it out.
Our immediate reaction was to look backwards.
Do we reinvent the bare-bones 70 Series?
Do we go retro?
No, that was too obvious…
He was giving us a chance to hit the reset button…
A chance to reassess the real meaning and values of Land Cruiser in Toyota’s portfolio…
And a chance to create a vehicle that distilled those values so they would act as a foothold to the future.
We embraced that chance to define the unwavering core beliefs of Land Cruiser…
and put them into a form that would transcend trends…
a product in which ALL our customers could place their unconditional trust.
When everyone saw our proposal, they were equally unwavering:
“Let’s do it.”
Ladies and gentlemen, the new SOUL of Land Cruiser.
So what do you think?
As a member of the development team, and a long-term Land Cruiser owner myself, it was a dream come true!
We re-assessed every past aspect of Land Cruiser for its relevance and redesigned it ground-up to embody Land Cruiser values for the modern day.
It’s honest.
It’s lean and agile.
It’s fit for purpose.
Let me take you through the five key areas that make this model the true soul of Land Cruiser.
Number one… capability.
At the heart of this is the GA-F platform.
Reliability and durability are built-in, and performance over rough terrain is on par with the flagship Land Cruiser 300.
This capability is now more practical and accessible than ever:
This is the first Land Cruiser to have Electric Power Steering, rather than hydraulic.
This improves ease and comfort on-road, and reduces kickback off-road.
Number 2… choice.
The powertrain lineup reflects diverse regional requirements.
For the first time, this includes a hybrid powertrain, in a Land Cruiser.
This tried-and-tested technology increases fuel efficiency, as well as performance, with no comprise on durability.
It was an extremely difficult task, but has allowed customers, in all corners of the world the chance to participate in the journey toward carbon neutrality.
Number 3… intuitive operation.
Vehicle control is fundamental to building trust between driver and machine.
We designed the cockpit controls to be easy to identify and operate by feel alone.
Here we sought the expertise of Dakar Rally champion Akira Miura, no stranger to driving under pressure in extreme environments.
He told us it’s crucial that the interfaces support the driver, with maximum accuracy, and minimal effort, whatever the conditions.
That brings me to number 4.
Beauty is function.
Every aspect of the design is based on the premise that beauty comes from functionality.
Proportions are calculated for maneuverability in extreme environments:
– The sides are kept slim,
the overhangs short, the corners carefully sculpted.
The low belt line, narrow A pillars and angular structure are designed for visibility and easy, accurate orientation.
Customers also reminded us of the importance of damage mitigation and repairability.
The high-mounted headlights are designed to rise above debris – and long savanna grass.
The segmented front bumper is designed to be easy to repair.
But the objective approach to design and functionality is not the whole story…
Great effort was placed on creating a subjective feeling of trust…
For example, the wheel to body offset imparts a feeling of strength and stability, giving the driver confidence in the capability of the vehicle…
it has to “look” the part.
Everything has a story and a reason…
And finally, number 5
The new Land Cruiser will reach even more people…
That’s right,
Land Cruiser is coming back to America!
So, we went back to the origin and we came out looking towards the future.
This Genten Kaiki journey was a soul-searching exercise in many respects.
As a mobility company, we believe that freedom in motion is a universal right.
One to be en joyed by everyone in the world, wherever they live.
and the Land Cruiser development process reminded us, that in many parts of the world, individual mobility is not a luxury but a lifeline.
Our customers trust in us to keep Land Cruiser relevant and thriving toward the future…
This could mean anything from carbon neutral approaches…
To ensuring that the Land Cruiser brand is more affordable, and within reach of even more people around the world…
or it may even mean exploring new approaches to mobility, that enhance not only the Land Cruiser experience, but also further people’s freedom in motion…
Suffice it to say, there are lots of exciting paths to changing the future of cars.
Kuruma no mirai wo kaete ikou.
Thank you very much.