Video: New four-cylinder Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series drag races V8 sibling
The facelifted 70 Series also comes with a new four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission – but how does it fare against the older V8 in a drag race?
The 2024 Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series was unveiled recently, with the big news being the addition of a 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine to the line-up – offered alongside the 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8.
But while the 2.8-litre in the LandCruiser produces a meagre 1kW less than the V8, it puts out 70Nm more than Toyota's venerable V8.
Which prompts the question: which is faster?
To make things even, the dual-cab four-cylinder model was given approximately 110kg of ballast to bring it up to 2286kg – making it within a few kilos of the single-cab V8, which weighed 2289kg.
Australian YouTube channel Fullboost decided to put the two side-by-side down the front straight at Sandown Raceway in Melbourne's south-east.
Also factoring into the equation are the transmissions, with the 4.5-litre turbo-diesel V8 mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, while the new 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four sends power to the wheels through a six-speed automatic.
The showdown – which begins about two minutes into the video – highlights the advancements in engine development within the past two decades.
Despite orders for the V8-powered 70 Series remaining closed in Australia, as Toyota works through delivering its current backlog, a recent report claims the V8 engine will end production for good in August 2025.
Would you be more inclined to buy the four-cylinder version over the V8 after seeing the video? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.