Here it is: Toyota Land Cruiser 300 spied in the bare

Design a clear evolution of the Land Cruiser 200

Captured for the first time, the all-new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 is a clear evolution over the outgoing 200: Image: cochespias.net

With three years having passed since the first rumours began to emerge, the highly awaited Toyota Land Cruiser 300 has leaked without disguise ahead of its reported world debut later this month.

It’s final look kept under wraps the entire time, which contributed to the delay after Japan’s carsensor.net reported in 2018 that company executives had send the final design back to the drawing amidst dissatisfaction for resembling a facelift 200, online forums creative311.com and cochespias.net have now published a number of images of the newcomer.

Sporting an evolutionary design as reported two years ago, and not too far off of the render released by Best Car the year before, the 300 retains the same silhouette as the 200, but in-line with the barrage of recent renderings, gains new LED headlights that integrates with the large new grille, a chunky front bumper and what appears to be air inlets around the grille itself.

Not seen was the rear facia or indeed the interior, but as reported earlier this month, seating will be provided for five or seven with the same 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system from the Harrier and Venza.

With 20-inch alloy wheels being standard on the Japanese-spec ZX and GR Sport, GX, AX and VX being the other trim grades, the 300 replaces the 200 after 14 years and as is known by now, rates as the first Land Cruiser since the 80-series ended production in 1997 not to come with the option of a V8 engine.

The imposing row of new Land Cruiser 300s in a holding area with no disguise. Image: creative311.com

Instead, it will have a choice of two V6 engines; the twin-turbo 3.5-litre badged 3.4 from the Lexus LS500 retuned to produce 313kW/589Nm and, as hinted by Toyota Argentina boss Daniel Herrero in 2018 when asked about the Hilux, a bent-six turbodiesel displacing 3.3-litres and reportedly delivering 230kW/687Nm.

Claimed to be the work of Mazda which has not been verified along with the supposed inclusion of a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, the new oil-burner, which is tipped for the incoming GR Hilux, produces 30kW/37Nm more than the 4.5 D-4D V8 it replaces, and like the petrol, will be mated to a ten-speed automatic gearbox with a low range transfer case being standard.

Debuting next year is the first ever Land Cruiser hybrid that will combine a petrol engine with an electric motor and not a diesel/electric hybrid consisting of the 2.8 GD-6 from the Hilux, Fortuner and Land Cruiser Prado as initially reported.

Poised to move to a body-on-frame version of the TNGA platform known as the TNGA-F the next generation Tundra will also use in the United States, the Land Cruiser 300 will have reported dimensions of 4 950 mm in overall length, a wheelbase of 2 850 mm, height of 1 870 mm and width of 1 980 mm with the claimed ground clearance being 225 mm.

With the emergence of the images, don’t be surprised if a teaser campaign is initiated shortly inclusive of select details as well as the official launch date.