This may look like your classic Toyota 60 Series, but a far more modern powertrain lurks within.
SEMA is just around the corner, and automakers are bringing a host of concepts to Las Vegas packing various levels of badassery. This one is definitely high on the list for me: the Turbo Trail Cruiser. It may look like a restomod of the old J60 Land Cruiser — and that’s exactly what it is. This particular build takes the old truck and packs in a modern Tundra‘s 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6, giving it pretty much double the power the old straight-six could crank out. And all that’s happening while the automaker maintains the classic SUV’s charm…and a 5-speed manual transmission to boot.
Yep, it may have a modern engine, but the Turbo Trail Cruiser doesn’t just get the standard 10-speed automatic gearbox. Instead, Toyota engineers went through the effort of fabricating an adapter plate to the old-school transmission. Beyond that, this classic truck gets a new oil pan and motor mounts to fit within the 60 Series’ engine compartment. With the new engine kicking out 389 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, this LC should be a heck of a lot faster than the old rig, on top of being quieter, more refined and (despite the extra power) more fuel efficient.
The new powertrain did need further adapting, however, beyond the 5-speed manual and mounting points. A new heat exchanger comes in to better cool that potent twin-turbo V6, while Toyota also fitted up a custom wiring harness so the engine management system plays nice with the old-time gauge cluster. To round out the upgrades, this classic-made-new build gets a 1.5-inch lift from the 60’s original ride height, 35-inch all-terrain tires and a front shackle reversal to change up the suspension behavior. This concept comes in Toyota’s original Silver 147 paint scheme from 1986, so it looks as close to factory fresh as you could feasibly get.
What about the interior?
Inside, the Toyota Turbo Trail Cruiser concept looks 95% factory original. The only exception to that is the screen I’m sure your eyes immediately darted toward. Because, of course it needs a touchscreen, doesn’t it? The truck also gets an upgraded JBL sound system, but apart from that Toyota left things well enough alone — so this is still a pretty awesome-looking one-off, if you ask me.
Speaking of which, this will (sadly) remain a one-off. “For Toyota fans, the Turbo Trail Cruiser is about more than just horsepower,” says Toyota Marketing group vice president Mike Tripp. “It’s a concept build, but it demonstrates the passion we share with our customers for keeping these classics alive in new and exciting ways.” You won’t be able to buy this sort of setup directly, of course, though perhaps this will inspire some folks out there with a fresh way to keep the iconic, boxy 60 Series’ spirit alive.
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