Toyota FJ40 at Toyota of N Charlotte

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, then you’ve probably noticed that the N Charlotte Toyota FJ40 is rumored to make a comeback. Don’t worry! We’ll keep you posted about this super exciting news! What’s even more eye-opening is that more than 10 million Land Cruisers have been sold! Let’s go over the super interesting history of the iconic FJ40!

FJ40

Brief History of the N Charlotte Toyota FJ40 

The FJ40 didn’t always go by that name. It used to be known as the Land Cruiser but evolved over the years and eventually branched off. We’re going to start in the 1950s when these cars were originally built for military use and formerly known as the Toyota BJ. Fun fact, the Toyota BJ drove on a trail on Japan’s 12,388-foot-high Mt. Fuji! However, in 1954 the Toyota BJ became the Toyota Land Cruiser.

  • Land Cruiser 20 Series

In 1955, the 20 series was introduced with a more powerful 3.9-liter inline-six engine, suspension changes, and an upgraded model was produced with a metal top. Also, a pickup truck, station wagon, and cab/chassis fire truck version were added to the Toyota lineup.

N Charlotte Toyota SUV

  • Land Cruiser FJ40

Now, to possibly the most exciting series – the N Charlotte Toyota FJ40! What a trailblazer! When the Toyota FJ40 came along it was evolutionary and more than meets the eye with this ride. It had angular styling with a flat, white roof, wraparound rear windows, and short overhands with an inline-sex engine that produced 125 horsepower and 200 lb.-ft. of torque. The N Charlotte Toyota FJ40 came to the U.S. in the 1960s and was the best-selling ride in the lineup through 1965 until the Toyota Corona passenger car took over.

  • 55 Series

In the mid-1960s, the 55 Series wagon model was introduced. This ride was built on 16-inch wheels with modern styling and an improved 3.9-liter inline-six engine. Both the Toyota FJ40 Series and 55 Series Land Cruiser have a brand-new 4.2-liter inline-six engine in 1975 with a 4-speed transmission that replaced the 3-speed. And, the Toyota FJ40 sold for a grand total of $6,000 in the U.S. without air conditioning and power steering.

Toyota FJ40

  • 60 Series (FJ60)

Now, comes the 60 Series, which has even better comfort while maintaining the rugged capability. By this time the sale of the Toyota FJ40 was discontinued and in 1983 the U.S. stopped building this iconic vehicle the following year. But, in 2007, the FJ40 Cruiser was introduced which was a much more rugged ride that was inspired by the Prado (J120). Meanwhile, the FJ40 today has become a collectible car that many people want and goes for over $50,000 on the market.

  • 80 Series 

The next big change was when the 80 Series was introduced in 1991 with coil springs for the front suspension, improved ride quality, and for the very first time a 4-wheel drive system that could be used on all different types of terrain.

  • 100 Series 

The 100 Series is possibly the biggest jump in this ride yet. It was music more sleek, had a new chassis that was 50% stiffer, and had a 4.7-Liter V8 with 230 horsepower! And, in 2006 the output increased to 275 horsepower.

Toyota Land Cruiser

  • 200 Series 

In 2008, this next series was introduced with 381 horsepower with a 5.7-Liter DOHC V8 engine that has 401 lb.-ft. of torque. Plus, there was an 8-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with intelligence! And, an array of advanced technology was introduced on this ride such as Charlotte Toyota downhill assist control, hill start assist, CRAWL control, and off-road turn assist making this ride amazing at handling trails!

Stop by Toyota of N Charlotte 

If you want to stay up-to-date about the Toyota FJ40, then stop by Toyota of N Charlotte! We would love to hear about your ride at 13429 Statesville Road. Take exit 23 off I-77 in Huntersville.