(Stated in 2001) Former Chief Engineer of Land Cruiser Series Product Planning Div. Vehicle Development Center III TOYOTA Motor Corporation Mr. Takeo Kondo

< Preferring The Older Models! >

I first got involved in the Land Cruiser development back in the days of the BJ40 and FJ55V. I think back with nostalgia remembering driving a BJ40 down the Meishin Highway, with all of the road noise in the background and sweaty hands gripping the wheel.
Later the Land Cruiser went through a series of evolutionary developments from the L/C 60, 70, 80, 90 (Prado), and the 100. Thinking back to the early days, it's almost as if the Land Cruiser has been on a constant path of improvement in drivability.
In fact, with every model change the Land Cruiser always had the same basic aim in development. That was first to build on the Land Cruiser tradition of reliability, durability, and offroad performance, and second to improve it handling stability, riding comfort, quietude, and driving performance.
The greatest pleasure involved in being responsible for the Land Cruiser development was to attend the new model unveilings, where you would hear comments from various Land Cruiser customers in Japan and around the world. Naturally, it was quite satisfying when their evaluation of it matches what we aimed to create.
I am particularly pleased when I hear people say that they prefer the older models in the series, and plan to keep driving one. It is easy to imagine hearing the same thing said of the new generation model when it evolves to the next stage.
When planning the model change for the Land Cruiser 70, we looked at the 40-series and 60-series, and decided to create a 4WD that would be easier to drive by comparison for people who were interested in driving a 4WD. We mounted it with an engine that had a smaller piston displacement and put coil springs in the suspension, creating a light-duty 4WD that became the current 70-series model. This model was also the 1st-generation Prado.
However, it had inherited too strong of an image of a workhorse as the 70-series, and did not attract the interest we had hoped.
The 2nd-generation Prado was developed as a completely separate series. The design was aimed at creating a car that retained its 4WD character, but also looked at home on city streets. A V6 gasoline engine was added, and independent suspension was put in the front. This was a car that felt much like a passenger car to drive.
The current model Prado lived up to our expectations and gained recognition for its own identity. The Prado is the Land Cruiser for the new century, the latest model of the light Land Cruiser series, still bearing the best of the Land Cruiser tradition, yet always aiming to retain its youthful and dynamic spirit.