2013 Toyota LandCruiser 70-Series Dual-Cab

UPDATE: LandCruiser 70 Series dual-cab now on sale in Australia.

The ultimate dual-cab ute could be as little as eight months away. A TMR source has confirmed that Toyota will be introducing a dual-cab ute version of its 70-Series LandCruiser, and we should see it as early as October this year.

Demand for a dual-cab 70-Series ute is coming from the mining sector, which currently predominantly uses the lighter duty Toyota Hilux and similar IFS (independent front suspension) dual-cab models from other manufacturers.

Given its intended market, we believe there will be two or three specification levels only, all being variations of the same basic, vinyl floored theme.

With air-conditioning and a radio being mandatory, trim variations, wheel and tyre combinations and diff-locks will be some of the major items that will separate the different specifications.

We expect the new dual-cab will share its wheelbase with the current 79 Series LandCruiser single-cab ute and like the rest of the range, be available with a manual transmission only (there are three models presently available in the collective 70-Series range, the 79-Series single-cab ute, the 78-Series Troop Carrier and the 76-Series wagon).

It’s reasonable to assume that the 70-Series dual-cab will be powered by the same 4.5-litre V8 D4D turbo-diesel engine (the mines have plenty of experience with this unit already) that is used throughout the current 70-Series range.

That means an unstressed 151kW of power and 430Nm of torque, all available nice and low in the rev-range.