Just before the final James Bond film No Time To Die hit cinemas, I was invited to an early viewing, courtesy of one of his motoring partners.
In a multi-million pound deal, Jaguar Land Rover is using the film – Daniel Craig’s final as 007 – to show off its new Defender 4×4, with a host of adverts, events and high-octane action behind it.
Imagine my (and JLR’s prospective staff) surprise at a 2021 pre-screening in London when – in one of the film’s key chase scenes – what stole the show wasn’t the new, scary and capable black Defender used by the ‘villain’, but rather the battered yellow Toyota Land Cruiser driven by our super spy.
Bond’s classic Japanese 4×4 comprehensively and cinematically destroys a number of pursuing Defenders (and Range Rovers). Ouch! My heart goes out to the disappointed Land Rover crowd.
Even more galling to JLR, my Toyota spies tell me they didn’t pay a dime for the old Land Cruiser’s inclusion in the film.
But I wasn’t surprised by the results. Watch TV news coverage of wars or coups abroad, and you’ll see militias driving around in rugged, reliable Toyota Land Cruisers – a 4×4 that dates back to 1951. They were the wheels of choice for guerrilla fighters.
Seamless: Toyota has replaced the pure diesel Land Cruiser with an electrified mild hybrid version
Here, the modern Land Cruiser offers bold, politically incorrect fun – despite the war on motorists being waged by the Government and councils. This is a chunky Tonka toy for adults, with excellent off-road and on-road skills, as a cross-country trip to Goodwood in Sussex confirmed.
I climbed into the cabin via running board steps to enjoy a high driving position while sitting in an armchair-like seat behind the square-shaped steering wheel. Mine was a seven-seater First Edition, with round headlights and a panoramic roof, giving it a very spacious feel.
Features include 20-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, panoramic roof, leather seats, 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, head-up display and 14-speaker JBL premium audio system
Enjoy a high riding position while sitting in an armchair-like seat
The beefy Toyota Land Cruiser offers bold, politically incorrect fun
The 205hp, 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engine provides incredible pulling power, capable of 0 to 62mph in 10.9 seconds on to a top speed of 105mph.
This week Toyota replaced the pure diesel model with an electrified mild hybrid version – adding a lithium-ion battery and electric motor generator to the engine and an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
When moving to a 48v hybrid, the Land Cruiser loses two seats to become a five-seat model, with just one Invincible trim level. The 0 to 62mph time increases to 12.3 seconds due to the extra weight.
Features include 20-inch alloy wheels, roof rails, a panoramic roof, leather seats, a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen, a head-up display and a 14-speaker JBL premium audio system.
Priced at £80,740 with first deliveries starting in March, Toyota says the car will deliver ‘smoother, more comfortable performance, both on and off the road’. Riders should be left to stir, not shake.
