- Toyota has revealed four concept versions of its reborn FJ Cruiser. But it won't build them!
- The company says the concepts are to "inspire the custom car market" to get creative with the mini SUV.
- The FJ Cruiser is slated for sale in Japan, Thailand and 'emerging markets' throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Following the official return of the FJ Cruiser in its new fantastically retro-inspired mini form, Toyota has unveiled four unique custom versions of the compact off-roader.
But rather than creating the concepts for eventual sale, the company says they are designed to "inspire the custom car market" rather than for direct retail. In other words, Toyota wants the aftermarket scene to replicate the packages, which is something it is rather good at.
The four cars are called 'The Legendary', which pays tribute to the 70 Series Land Cruiser, 'The Street Cruiser', a lowered version with an urban-focused, a rugged, off-road version called 'The Meridian', and a camper version called 'The Nature Explorer' with a lighter off-road focus.
1. The Legendary
The Legendary is a nostalgic tribute to past generations of Land Cruiser, specifically the J70, which Toyota still sells in certain parts of the world - including ours - and features chrome steel wheels, vintage body accents, and retro lettering on the front fenders. To complete the classic look, it is equipped with Yokohama Geolandar all-terrain tyres (complete with the compulsory white lettering on their sidewalls!) and mud flaps featuring a prominent Toyota wordmark.
2. The Street Cruiser
Designed for the "urban jungle," The Street Cruiser takes a radically different path by lowering the ride height for a more aggressive stance. It sports black wheels reminiscent of Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division, paired with red Brembo brake callipers. Notable modifications include a two-piece roof spoiler and a rear bike rack - replacing the spare tyre - carrying a Rydekart electric fat bike with a 60km range.
3. The Meridian
Aimed at people want more mud in their lives, The Meridian focuses on extreme off-road capability, and is equipped with a snorkel for tackling deep water crossings, a roof rack designed for gear and petrol cans, and aggressive Toyo Open Country R/T tires.
4. The Nature Explorer
Rounding out the group is a camper-style conversion aimed at outdoor enthusiasts. The Nature Explorer includes a rooftop tent, a side-mounted awning, and additional auxiliary lighting for overnight stays. It features a distinctive two-tone finish with custom body decals and a unique petrol cap, but is obviously the variant that has had the least changes over the standard FJ.
While Toyota has made it clear that it won't be producing these specific packages itself, but rather intends them to encourage aftermarket replication, given the enthusiasm that the Japanese aftermarket has for just that means we will likely see something similar - and even wilder versions - relatively soon.
Toyota has confirmed that the FJ Cruiser will not be sold in North America or Europe, with the mini SUV instead being focused on the Japanese domestic and Thai markets, as well as some emerging markets across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
While we don't know if that will eventually include us, we can probably be fairly confident that some will eventually make their way here from the Japanese domestic market as a used imports.
