There is a legion of offroad user including farmers, enthusiasts and others who value a manual transmission and Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has now added this option for its Land Cruiser 70 Series, which pairs with the 2,8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine and is available across the Single Cab and Station Wagon body types, priced at R887 000 and R969 800 respectively.
The addition follows the earlier 2024 rollout of a six-speed automatic transmission for the same engine, part of a significant upgrade to the 70 Series lineup. This move also marks the end of the LC 76 Station Wagon 4.5 V8 Diesel manual transmission.
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Plenty of options are on offer with our large selection of Toyota Land Cruiser 70 models
“With the discontinuation of the LC 76 V8 Diesel Manual earlier this year, we recognised the demand for a manual gearbox within the range,” explained Glenn Crompton, Vice President of Marketing & Technical Services at TSAM. “This new manual transmission is tailored to meet that need, providing a robust and versatile option for our customers.”
The 2,8-litre manual powertrain delivers 150 kW of power between 3 200 r/min and 3 400 r/min and a peak torque of 450 Nm from 2 400 r/min to 3000 r/min. To optimise performance, Toyota has equipped the gearbox with shorter first, second, and third gears for improved acceleration and a longer fifth gear to enhance fuel economy and reduce noise on highways.
Additionally, a 12-inch clutch with improved slip resistance and a triple-synchronisation mechanism for smoother gear shifts further enhance the driving experience.
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Durability is a key focus, with the manual variant benefiting from upgrades introduced to the four-cylinder models earlier in 2024. These include a dust seal on the rear end plate to protect the release bearing, ensuring reliability in tough conditions.
Aside from the removal of the front console box to accommodate the gear shifter and the omission of downhill assist control, the manual variants maintain the same equipment levels, towing capacity and gross combination mass as their automatic counterparts.
All models in the Land Cruiser 70 Series come with a 3-year/100 000 km warranty and the option of a 100 000 km service plan.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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