The Toyota Land Cruiser first burst onto the scene as the Toyota “Jeep BJ”, and just four years later, exports began. In the start, only about 100 units were exported annually.
But within 10 years, Toyota had moved 10,000 units a year. Today, nearly 70 years since its initially debut, the company sells some 400,000 yearly in 170 countries around the world. Just last month, they hit the 10,000,000 mark.
Here’s what Toyota have to say about this impressive off-roader. They even have a special site set up to celebrate this 10 million unit milestone.
Press Release
The Land Cruiser contributed significantly to increased trust in the Toyota brand around the world, and created a foothold for the company to expand its exports. Due to its outstanding reliability and durability, there are regions where Land Cruiser 40 Series vehicles continue to be used today, some 50 years after they were manufactured.
The history of the Land Cruiser symbolizes Toyota’s QDR―Quality, Durability, and Reliability; at the same time, it is the source of Toyota’s car-making for the world, and for people. The Land Cruiser is a reassuring companion for carrying out work and living a variety of lifestyles; it is a car that transports people’s lives and items, and that fulfills people’s mobility dreams; and it is a car that enables people to go where they want, when they want, and to return safe and sound.
In Africa, the Land Cruiser is used to provide humanitarian assistance; in Burundi, to carry malaria-infected children to hospital; and in refugee camps in Uganda, to transport patients to clinics.
In Australia, the Land Cruiser is used for mobility in zinc and copper mines some 1,600 meters underground; it is also used to herd cattle on vast cattle ranches of 8,000 square kilometers.
In Costa Rica in Central America, there are regions where the Land Cruiser is used to harvest carrots at altitudes of 3,500 meters, on slopes so steep that even humans have difficulty standing―the reason being that “only the Land Cruiser is capable of reaching these fields.”
Indeed, there are many places around the world where it would be impossible to live from day to day without the Land Cruiser.
The 10 million Land Cruisers sold over the course of the past 68 years have been used on a variety of different roads, and they have contributed to the refinement of Toyota cars.
Going forward, in order to continue to cater to―and even exceed―customer expectations, development of the Land Cruiser will take place on the premise that it will be used in every corner of the world; to this end, Toyota itself intends to set more rigorous standards, and to continue to engage in car-making with the goal of creating a truly unique car.
