6th gen Speculation Thread

Read these posts from @nimby and others discussing @Carmaker1's track record, he is an industry insider with insider contacts at several manufacturers.
https://www.4runners.com/search/1417015/?q=Carmaker1&t=post&o=date

Myself, living near the Toyota Plano Headquarters, know one of the higher up employees who shares a tibbit from time to time. Let's revisit this post in September to see if he is feeding me good or bad information, that is the month he told me the Land Cruiser will be revealed.

 

I'll be waiting anxiously.

I have a very hard time believing that Toyota is developing a unique Landcruiser for the US market. It just doesn't match the way they've been doing things for decades.

Edit: maybe they are finally realizing that there's a market for a more off-road oriented version. But, I would wonder what the hell took so long.

Edit #2- and, Even if they wanted a more off-road oriented version for the US market, they could still base it off of the GX (which is what I expect), or better yet the 70 series.

 

The TNGA-F platform is the basis for all new Toyota BOF trucks and SUV models. The GX, international Prado, Land Cruiser and 4Runner SUVs all share many of the same chassis and sheet metal substructure elements.

This is not speculation, it has been widely reported on for the last several years.

 

Thanks for the cut and paste.

I already know this. Everybody who has been paying attention already knows this. It has been discussed numerous times already on this thread and others.

What does that have to do with your theory that the US market Landcruiser will be different than all other Landcruisers?

 

Sorry, I don't follow circular logic, insiders say the US version will be retro, I'll just end with this.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtasgURO6UO/

 

What "circular logic"?

I have been saying that the US Landcruiser will most likely be very similar to the GX. You are saying it will be an entirely unique vehicle. I disagree.

Taking a GX, and putting different sheet metal on it does not make it a unique vehicle. The Landcruiser and the LX have been the same thing for decades. The Prado and the GX have been the same thing for decades. What reason is there to believe this will change?

And, when have I said that it won't be a retro design? All I've said is that it's probably going to be very similar to the GX, as the Prado always has been.

 

Prado vs GX, GX vs Landcruiser, similar or unique? I think it is splitting hairs between the two words.

I'll just leave it at, there are visual differences between the current generation brother models and the future generations brother models.

 

Okay. Maybe I'm misunderstanding what you mean by a unique vehicle. My expectation is that it will probably share the wheelbase and most specs with the GX. Different sheet, metal, interior etc of course.

Whether or not the Prado in other markets will be the same as what we get here in the US is really what it comes down to, I guess. Maybe the US will get a unique grill, and some other styling cues. If that's what you're saying, then I get it.

Edit: OK; maybe I was splitting hairs a bit.

 

It will certainly be interesting to see what Toyota is up to. It's possible that they will market a Land Cruiser that is totally over the top like the Bronco or maybe the Jeep Rubicon. It's possible. I was surprised at how boxy and rugged the Lexus GX looks considering it has always been a Luxury SUV. Maybe they see an off-road market niche and will try to fill it with a very off-road capable vehicle? i don't know. And where does the 4Runner fit it? And why don't they just bring back the 300 series? I would love to see a stripped down 300 series offered with an optional 1GR-FE like in the Middle East.

 

Other than wishing my 2021 4R got 25 mpg's or better, I am perfectly content with it!

 

Yeah, they're definitely cashing in on the popularity of the 470/460 as off-roaders with the new styling. I wouldn't be surprised if they were quite surprised at that fact.

I get why they're doing it, and I like the look, but I wonder if it will alienate some buyers who just want a luxo SUV, which I imagine includes at least 90% of the original buyers of the 460/470.

This will be great for second or third owners though!

 

If it starts out at $60K like the GX, and dealers add a $10k or more "market adjustment" to it like they are doing with the Bronco, I'm out.

 

I wouldn't think the starting price would be as expensive as a GX. No idea what the pricing will be but this makes sense to me:

$40k - 4Runner
$50k - Land Cruiser
$60k - GX

 

Where do I sign?

 

No chance the next LC will be like that 70. It has a manual transmission, functional interior and a generally no-frills drivetrain. None of these things are desired by most Americans today. In US dollars that 70 is about $53K, which puts it in direct competition with too many other SUV's, so Toyota will castrate it, bloat it and upscale it. We can always dream though.

 

After much of the speculative discussion of the recent past, I heard through the Plano grapevine to pay attention to this CarsGuide Australian article for a new Toyota LandCruiser Prado GR Sport. It has a more realistic Land Cruiser rendering to me than many of the others out there.

It does not look like it would take much to give it retro round headlights to align with the US version information that is out there. I think it is safe to assume the source is pointing us in the right direction with the retroish grill. I thanked them for sharing it with me and asked them if it's true the US version will in fact have round headlights.

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-ne...ta-landcruiser-prado-gr-sport-would-reset-the



Here it is with a round headlight I dropped on the rendering for concept.

 

Whatever it is we're speculating about body panels and glass and perhaps a few add-ons like a locking rear-diff or large tires and special shocks and so on. We know what the frame is going to be. We know what engine(s) it's going to have. So beyond that it's all cosmetic. It's like speculating what Kate Middleton is going to wear to the fancy dress ball. It's the same person just different clothing - or in this case, just sheet metal and glass.

Unless of course I'm missing something.

 

Looks good! Looks like they just slapped a different front end on the GX, which is pretty much what I expect Toyota to do.

 

Yes, uniquely similar, but different.

 

Some people see plain utility in a car or truck and buy whatever fits, best price or whatever their requirements are.

Most others, dare I say 70% plus of buyers, will purchase based on looks and looks alone. They could care less about utility, horsepower, torque, load hauling or many other nuances some may want.

How a car looks is the biggest reason people buy: study

 

Nice to know I'm not one of the 70%.

I have a 2015 Tacoma TRD Sport AC 2WD. I never liked the looks of the front of the truck - but like it better than the current 3rd Gen.

I have a 2019 4Runner ORP. I still hate the looks of the front of the truck. Every time I see it it reminds me of the animated grasshopper characters in the movie Ants. (Yeah, I have kids... ).

I bought them both for reliability, as well as the utility of both.

However, the new Tundra?

 

Everything we are seeing in front end design includes some sort of bigger front grill for better airflow and, by extension, fuel economy. That rendering sure has a small grill. I like it but I wonder if it’s realistic to anticipate something like that. I’m with 2Toys, the front of the Tundra is just horrible.

 

Totally agree. Look how many people buy Wranglers, who really don't need Wranglers. The Wrangler is an amazing vehicle, but it pretty much sucks at everything but off-roading. Yet, they sell like hotcakes.

I would bet that 90% of the people on this forum are in the 30%.

 

True, most people just buy a car without doing extensive research into reliability or are brand-loyal and are today lost without their next Oldsmobile, Saturn or Mercury.

As you say, the intelligent people on this forum probably aren't as obsessed about how a vehicle looks, so whatever bends Toyota puts in the sheet metal and however they curve the glass, we all know already what platform the 6th gen will have and what engine(s) and transmission(s) it will have. What clothing Toyota drapes that in will be a surprise - otherwise the 6th gen is already here.

 

Agree with this. How a car looks has a lot to do with my decision, over the years, to buying or passing on that car. I believe with the right mods 4Runner is best damn looking suv on road, with just a handful others that match it. Yeah it’s reliable and that has some bearing as well. But if it looked like Highlander I’d have passed for sure. Not afraid to admit it.

 

I'm sure I'll be in the minority here, but I actually think the "Sport" looks better than the actual Bronco.

There's definitely some similarities between the rendering and the Bronco, but I think the Toyota will still be better looking.

 

I heard some additional LC information through the Plano grapevine. Headlights could come in different styles, such as triple-beam or round versions, similar to how Bronco offers different headlight styles, base and signature.

It seems it is possible multiple LC versions will be offered, one or more street versions and one or more off-road versions. Adding my personal speculation, I could see the top tier LC exclusively getting the TTV6, Tacoma sway bar disconnect and front lockers.

We may see teasers start in the coming weeks, seeing how early the GX teasers were shown.

In addition, these two sentences from the article seem particularly relevant:

 

Increased airflow through the engine can contribute to increased fuel economy but increased airflow through the grill adds air resistance, decreasing fuel economy.

If you look closely at the cooling air intake area, you actually have three different areas allowing cooling air to pass. Assuming this rendering is close to realistic, it seems there are adequate square inches of open grill space for airflow.