Toyota FJ Bruiser showcar for SEMA Show

For 70 years, the Land Cruiser has epitomised the tough, go-anywhere capabilities of Toyota 4×4 vehicles. In many markets (Malaysia being one of them), it was Toyota’s first product to be introduced and there has roots that are deep.

It was the model which planted the Toyota flag in America in when it landed in California in 1958, and has become a respected model till today. It’s not surprising then that there is a lot of nostalgia whenever the Land Cruiser is mentioned and it is a popular subject for special projects.

At this year’s SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) trade show in Las Vegas, Toyota is paying homage to the Land Cruiser’s roots by creating the FJ Bruiser. This special project is the work of Toyota Motorsports and is based on a 1966 FJ45 pick-up model.

“Every year we are fortunate enough to get to build a SEMA special project vehicle, and this year, we have built a rock crawler,” said Marty Schwerter, Toyota Motorsports garage team manager. “At first, it was referred to loosely as ‘The Unstoppable FJ,’ but by the time it was done, it was a beastly vehicle, and so the team started referring to it as the ‘FJ Bruiser.’”

Schwerter and his team crushed the build, creating a ‘King of The Hammers’”-style classic FJ that checks all the extreme performance boxes. The team’s first call was to Toyota Racing Development (TRD) as the vehicle needed more than just a loud bark to live up to its extreme performance mandate.

From TRD came a modified version of Toyota’s current TRD, 358 cu.in. (5.9 litres) V8 NASCAR Cup Car powerplant which produces 725 horsepower. A MagnaFlow exhaust delivers the engine’s intimidating exhaust note, and power is transferred by way of a 3-speed automatic race-built Rancho Drivetrain Engineering transmission.

In true old school fashion, the FJ Bruiser remains a solid axle vehicle. Purpose-built with ‘unstoppable’ as part of the brief, the driveline features front and rear Currie differentials and an Advanced Adapter Atlas transfer case that provides four 2WD speeds and four 4WD speeds.

The drivetrain set-up allows the FJ Bruiser to crawl at 20 km/h revving to 7,000 rpm in the lowest gear and reach speeds of up to 265 km/h at that same 7,000 rpm engine speed in highest gear.

Should ground clearance ever become an issue, the team replaced the centre skidplate with a tank-like track system that can be used to power out of any high centred situation. The CAMSO track is controlled from the cockpit, so the driver can stay securely seated; no need to unstrap and find something to tie off the winch. Tank mode can be activated with the push of a button.

Attention then shifted to the creation of functional bodywork while retaining the classic FJ lines, an exercise that posed one of the team’s most significant challenges: fitting modern, terrain-conquering technology into and onto a relatively space-constrained chassis.

The team fabricated a full tube chassis and roll cage, then mated the body to the new, more rigid custom frame. Then they added a full trailing arm suspension with Fox shocks and Eibach springs. At the corners, 42-inch BF Goodrich Krawler T/A KX tyres mounted to 20-inch Method Beadlock wheels, which at full bump travel, put the tyres about halfway up the windscreen line.

Moving inside, Complete Customs worked with the team to outfit the cabin. MOMO Daytona EVO seats were reskinned in paint scheme-coloured plaid, paying homage to the FJ’s original plaid bench seat, along with a vintage 1968 Jackie Stewart championship steering wheel.

The combination of modern automotive technology with the classic looks of the FJ45 yields a vehicle worthy of its nameplate. What began life as a FJ45 pick-up truck in 1966 quickly turned into a ground-up concept ready to conquer the toughest terrain in the world 57 years later.

“This build is iconic, one-of-a-kind, and, let’s face it… totally radical looking,” said Mike Tripp, Group Vice-President, Toyota Marketing. “It’s a reminder of what Land Cruiser has always been; a vehicle built to take you as far as your imagination will allow.”

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