No, what a feeling: Toyota LandCruiser V8 dropped despite strong demand

Demand for this model remains incredibly strong, but the manufacturer has decided to pull it from sale due to ‘community expectations’.

Toyota has dumped the popular V8 turbo-diesel model from its LandCruiser 70 Series range, despite a waiting list that has stretched out to two years at times.

The company stopped taking orders for the V8 model two years ago due to supply issues and it now admits that some customers on the waiting list may miss out on their vehicles.

The move follows the dumping of the V8 from the LandCruiser 300 Series wagon in 2022, which sparked a spike in prices for second-hand vehicles as some dealers profiteered from the decision.

Near-new “demonstrator” models were changing hands for tens of thousands of dollars more than new variants. But Toyota promises that the outstanding orders will be processed on a “first come, first served” basis.

The company’s vice-president of sales and marketing, Sean Hanley, said the company would be taking action to guard against dealers selling delivery slots to the highest bidder.

The decision to drop the V8 is likely to see a spike in used values of the LandCruiser 70 Series. Picture: Supplied.

“Obviously the value of these cars is going to go up incredibly overnight. We are acutely aware of behaviours that could be brought on because of this and we are going to put in very strong processes to try to negate those behaviours. My advice to anyone waiting: do not pay over retail,” he said.

Hanley said the company was looking to secure “the maximum possible V8 allocation” from the factory in Japan so that it could “fulfil as many local customer V8 orders as possible”.

But he admitted there was nothing to stop customers from selling their cars at inflated prices once they had been delivered.

“What they choose to do with those cars beyond that is their business. Used cars are used cars, I can’t control that,” he said.

V8 models dominate the LandCruiser 70 Series range. Picture: Supplied.

Hanley said the decision to stop the model despite “an incredibly strong order bank” and a “massive following” was made due to “community expectations” regarding lowering vehicle emissions.

“Environment is on people’s minds. We believe the community expects that we will reduce our CO2 footprint,” he said.

The four-cylinder engine will become the sole engine for the 70 Series and the company will offer a five-speed manual with that engine, to appeal to farmers and tradies who like the old-school approach.

But Hanley admitted the switch would not go down well with some customers. Roughly 90 per cent of 70 Series sales are V8s.

“Clearly there is a preference still for V8s. We can’t hide from that. That’s the reality.”

Australians have bought almost 350,000 70 Series since 1985. Picture: Supplied.

Australians have bought almost 350,000 70 Series wagons since their introduction in 1985 and almost half those sales have been V8s, despite the fact the engine wasn’t introduced until 2007.

“It’s going to take people some time to move to the four-cylinder,” he said.

Production of the V8 70 Series wagon, troop carrier and GX pick-up will end in September and vehicles will be delivered by the end of the year.

Deliveries of the GXL single and double cabs will continue into the final quarter of next year.

Hanley said the move to a four-cylinder had nothing to do with the government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, which will be introduced next year and carry fines for manufacturers who sell thirsty vehicles.

The V8 has been dropped from the 70 Series line-up. Picture: supplied.

He said the decision was “something that we were planning three or four years ago, not five months ago”.

Toyota was comfortable it would meet the demands of the NVES but the standard presented some tough challenges for carmakers.

“We said at the time – and nothing has changed – it is incredibly challenging, specifically for those heavy commercial vehicles going forward.”

He said the company was still working through the finer details of what the NVES would mean for the pricing of utes and SUVs but the company recognised it was in a “very competitive market”.

“Increasing prices might sound like a logical solution but it’s actually not,” he said.