According to Toyota’s records, the cumulative sales of the Land Cruiser, the longest-running Japanese brand model on the market – it was launched in 1951 (15 years before the Corolla) – exceeded 10 million units sold.
This model debuted under the name of Jeep BJ and quickly became a success due to its reliability, durability, and off-road performance. Likewise, its popularity increased with large-scale exports of the 20 Series, which went on sale in 1955, four years after the launch of the first generation of the vehicle. In 1954, the name of the vehicle changed to Land Cruiser, as it is still known today.
Initially, less than 100 units exported per year; In 1965, 10 years after the start of large-scale exports, that figure had exceeded 10,000 units annually. Currently, the Land Cruiser sold in about 170 countries around the world, with global sales exceeding 400,000 units annually.
Thanks to its qualities of reliability, durability, and off-road performance, this model contributed so that Toyota will generate greater trust among consumers and was a first step towards expanding the company’s exports. Proof of the strength of this vehicle is that there are currently a large number of 50-year-old Land Cruiser units.
Today, the qualities of this SUV that produced in Japan, Portugal, and Kenya are still present, so it used in different scenarios, either as a rescue vehicle, in the military, mining, agriculture, or as means of transport in extreme terrain.