There are certain vehicles that develop an aura over the years. The Toyota Land Cruiser certainly falls into that category. From a utilitarian beginning, it has become a bit more modern without losing the toughness we all loved.

Toyota has always taken a unique approach when it comes to their model lines. The company prefers to launch a model and then stick with it unlike most other car companies. The Land Cruiser is a classic example. The truck was first designed in 1951 with full scale production beginning in 1954. It has come in versions ranging from convertibles to station wagons. As it closes in on 60 years of production, the Land Cruiser is still the lead SUV model for the company. That’s staying power!

The story of the beginnings of the Land Cruiser is surprisingly mundane. The Japanese government asked the company to build a vehicle similar to the Jeep used by the United States Military to such effect. The name of the vehicle is often written as “Landcruiser”, but this is incorrect and obviously so when you know the origins of it. The name was based on the Land Rover built in England. Toyota wanted a similar name that sounded similar.

Despite this mundane beginning, the Toyota Land Cruiser became an iconic vehicle. The “40” series of the vehicle looked very similar to the classic military Jeep. The engine and suspension system, however, proved to be far superior. The 40 became a much sought after vehicle for off road enthusiasts as its climbing ability was second to none. Despite being built in the 60s and 70s, the vehicle is still a huge favorite as it often outperforms modern 4 wheel drive cars in off road competitions.

Perhaps the biggest testament to the popularity and reliability of the vehicle is known as the documentary/travel show testimonial. What is this? Well, pay close attention to the vehicles being driven in travel shows and documentaries in exotic locations. The vehicles are almost always Land Cruisers. This is a testimonial in that it essentially says the Land Cruiser is the vehicle of choice if you are going to be out in the middle of nowhere. That’s pure credibility.

Author : Dirk Gibson is with DCJAutoParts.com – where you can find the lowest prices on high performance Toyota Land Cruiser aftermarket parts and accessories.