What's The Deal With the Land Cruiser Pickups?

I saw some you tube videos from Dubai and the U.K. of 70th anniversary Model 70 Land Cruiser Pickups. One was a single cab 4.0 L V-6 with a 5-speed manual. Didn't know they existed.........but they look real nice. Just for foreigners, I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K53dWN5Qx0

 

The North American market doesn't get a lot of models. They still sell the FJ Cruisers overseas as well as several others.

 

That would be so nice to have. I'd actually buy one new if they sold them here. Maybe we all need to start a petition to get some import laws changed, it would take awhile, but with many millions of signatures it could maybe happen? Just thinking out loud

 

I think the biggest hurdle is Toyota doesn't want to cut into their current model sales, ie Tacoma, 4Runner, etc. I also don't believe some models come with gas engines. Toyota currently doesn't have a diesel for the North American market.

 

The cost of compliance with the myriad of United States benevolent imperial federal guvmunt requirements is extensive. And in it's most rudimentary sense is a cost-benefit calculation. For the Model 70 Landcruiser Truck I'd reckon that calculation is WAY OUT OF WHACK.

 

Don't forget the Chicken Tax. It's a 25% tariff on imported light trucks.

 

The one I posted I'm not crazy about, sort of like a scaled-up 1975 Hi-Lux, but I saw another one that was more Tundra-like. I think they said $52,000, like one of us will fly over there and ship it back in a 20' container. Maybe you could spend a month driving it to France(6,200 km), when it'd be a used truck, then ship it here, to avoid customs hassles of a new truck. Make a better reality show video than real attempt. I would expect a lot of getting stranded in Iraq/Turkey/Serbia and other garden spots.

 

Here’s one in Lunar for 39k that is currently available stateside.

https://www.japaneseclassics.com/vehicle/1991-toyota-hilux-truck/