"Outperforming its Forebear": Detailing the Powertrain Advancements in the New Land Cruiser (First Installment)
New Land Cruiser 300 Series Debuts with Enhanced Off-Road Capability and Ease of Driving
The new Land Cruiser 300 Series, unveiled on August 2, 2021, marks a significant leap forward in Toyota's renowned off-road vehicle lineup. Chief Engineer Takami Yokoo and his team aimed to create a vehicle that would not be inferior to the previous model in any aspect, while also making it easy to drive.
Yokoo's inspiration came from his experience piloting the 200 Series across Australia, where he observed the importance of reducing driver fatigue during long off-road drives to ensure safe returns. This focus on driver comfort is reflected in the 300 Series, which boasts improved stability during downhill runs, with the braking force on each of the four wheels regulated independently by Crawl Control to prevent sideslipping.
The new model also maintains better contact with the ground, reducing the strong impacts felt in rough off-road conditions, known as the 'head toss'. This improvement was achieved through the development team's incorporation of Toyota’s GA-F platform, which increases frame stiffness by 50% and overall body and frame stiffness by 30%. This enhancement significantly improves responsiveness, handling, and driving comfort on roads, while optimized suspension ensures increased wheel articulation crucial for off-road capability.
Akihiro Osaka, responsible for the car's on-road feel, believes that new technology was used to achieve both off-road performance and a natural on-road driving feel. The 300 Series indeed holds the road better than the 200 Series, meaning the tires stay on the ground longer.
The testing session for the new Land Cruiser 300 Series was conducted at the Sanage Adventure Field, a multipurpose outdoor attraction in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture. The event was attended by Chief Engineer Yokoo, test driver Kazuyuki Ueno, Akihiro Osaka, Akira Miura, and Juichi Wakisaka, a racing driver and website ambassador who served as the interviewer for the testing session.
Miura, a rally driver who has raced the 200 Series in the Dakar Rally, had not test-driven the 300 Series off-road until this day. Heavy rainfall the day before made course conditions far from ideal. Despite this, the 300 Series demonstrated less wheel slipping on a rocky course compared to the 200 Series.
The new Land Cruiser GR Sport's suspension has sufficient stroke to maintain contact with the ground while descending steep hills with ruts and bumps, with Crawl Control turned on. This improvement in traction was evident, as evidenced by the visible relaxation of Juichi Wakisaka after switching to the GR Sport model.
The keyword for the evolution of the Land Cruiser 300 Series is 'ease of driving'. This focus on driver comfort, combined with the vehicle's enhanced off-road capability, positions the 300 Series as a formidable contender in the off-road vehicle market.
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