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By
EWAN KENNEDY
8 August 2005
What an improvement. The latest LandCruiser 100
Sahara may still look much the same as before, but major changes to the
suspension system make it a far more pleasant vehicle to ride in and to
drive.
Not that the about-to-be superseded old Sahara
was a bad thing, but its truck-based chassis was certainly
starting to feel its age. It should be made clear at this stage
that the LandCruiser 100 is a ‘proper’ 4WD with genuine
off-road ability, it’s not simply a people mover with a butch
body and a couple of extra differentials as is so common in the
luxury SUV market these days. No, the Cruiser is the real thing
with a ladder-frame chassis-and-body layout and dual-range
transmissions.
The problem that Toyota had was that many buyers
are simply looking for an on-road vehicle. So the suspension on
the Sahara wasn’t well regarded. The answer was simple, borrow
the more sophisticated suspension setup from the upmarket Lexus
LX470 for use in the Sahara. The two vehicles are closely related
so the modifications weren’t all that much of a hassle.
So, Sahara now has height-adjustable air
suspension, that can also be adjusted for firmness whilst the
vehicle’s on the move.
Height adjustment lets you lower the Sahara for
ease of entry and exit, something that’s important for many
users who aren't as young as they once were. It also lets the
serious offroader increase ground clearance for the really tough
stuff. There are inbuilt safeguards to stop you using the
incorrect suspension height for the circumstances.
As a final bonus, the adjustable height always
keeps the vehicle level, no matter what load is being carried and
how it’s distributed. Thus the headlights are always aligned
correctly for height and the driver’s view over the bonnet isn’t
spoiled if there's a big load in the boot.
Being able to adjust the suspension firmness
lets the driver adapt the LandCruiser to their needs and wants
under all circumstances. A knob on the console lets you chose from
a number of settings ranging from Comfort to Sport. It’s very
much an individual thing, but we were most impressed with the
Sahara when it was set one step on the Comfort side of Sport.
There it gave surefooted handling (well surefooted for a large
4WD!) with plenty of stability and surprisingly precise steering
using a new variable-ratio setup. This is certainly a big step up
from the previous model.
Not given to overt changes in appearance in its
‘working’ 4WD range, Toyota's designers have kept
modifications to a new three-bar grille and slightly changed
headlights. At the rear, the lights use LEDs for faster lightup
and therefore improved braking safety. None of the ‘hard’
(metal) parts have been altered.
Some colours on the palette have been changed,
so those in the know will be aware that you have the last model
Sahara.
Inside, the satellite navigation system has the
useful feature with the fascinating title of ‘breadcrumbing’.
Already well known to bushwalkers with GPS systems, this lays a
trail of ‘crumbs’ on the screen indicating where you have
been. Thus retracing your steps over visually-confusing
multi-choice tracks is a piece of cake.
Users of the satellite navigation can now chose
between inputting by an alphabetical keyboard, or a computer-type
QWERTY layout.
The audio system has been upgraded and has a
simpler single-head unit for ease of control. There's now a
four-CD facility built into the head unit, replacing the previous
one-CD and under-seat changer.
Toyota has increased the price of the Sahara by
$2600, yet estimates the new equipment is worth $4300. The
4.7-litre V8 petrol model is priced at $83,800 and the 4.2-litre
turbo-diesel comes in at $94,200. Both use a five-speed automatic
transmission with a shift-gate that gives some manual control over
the box.
Some of the changes to the LandCruiser Sahara
will also be carried down to the Standard and GXL models, though
neither of these will get the state of the art suspension system.
All three LandCruiser vehicles will go on sale
at a yet-to-be decided date in September this year. Probably
fairly late in the month.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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