BNR – The multinational automotive manufacturer, Toyota, revealed its first hybrid update of the Land Cruiser. The company intends to launch the new vehicle in North America and other major markets, aiming to introduce a capable and symbolic sports automobile.

Toyota is the globe’s largest car manufacturer in terms of sales. It stated that it will manufacture the new version of the vehicle from the body of a 1951 car, emphasising the company’s roots. Moreover, there will be another smaller version that the company will manufacture from the two Japanese factories.

Iconic SUV Updated for Energy Efficiency

The new vehicle will primarily be sold in the US, thus providing current owners with an energy-effective alternative Land Cruiser.

Customers will have the chance to shift towards eco-friendly vehicles, according to Hiroki Nakajima, Toyota’s chief technology officer. “We will offer vehicles that customers hope for,” he said.

Land Cruisers are large cars that bring high profits to the company. Similarly, other vehicles like the Alphard van also bring a high-profit margin, according to an analyst.

“Land Cruisers and Alphards have a high profitability even under the Toyota brand,” Sugiura said. He added that profits will further rise if the vehicles were sold under other brands like Lexus.

Toyota Global Launch

The company will offer the new Land Cruiser in Japan in H1 next year. In the United States, it will be available in the spring of that year, according to Toyota. The projected retail price in the US market is going to be in the mid-50,000 USD range.

Toyota stated it will provide gas and diesel-fuelled variants of the new vehicle in markets like Western and Eastern Europe and the Middle East. It will also offer a smaller variant of the vehicle in Japan in the winter.

The Land Cruiser and the Lexus LX and GX are luxury SUVs. Together, they have sold 11.3mln of those vehicles as of the end of July, Toyota said.