Never one to be shy about its heritage, Toyota is displaying an early Land Cruiser at the annual Los Angeles Motor Show.
Introduced in 1958, the FJ25 Land Cruiser was one of the very first models Toyota sold in the United States. It stands out as the only model that has been sold every year since Toyota has been in the U.S., and it was the best-selling Toyota on these shores between 1961 and 1965.
Power for the FJ25 Land Cruiser came from a 3.9-liter straight-six engine that sent 105 horsepower to all four wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. Decidedly Spartan, the Land Cruiser was one of the most capable off-roaders available in the United States in the early 1960s.
The Land Cruiser stickered for $3,050. It came standard with a canvas soft top, four shock absorbers, windshield wipers, flashing turn signals, a spare tire and a complete tool kit.
Today, the Land Cruiser is one of the most iconic Japanese cars ever built. That wasn’t always the case, and Toyota sold just 249 examples in 1961.
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