Could BMW build its own Toyota Land Cruiser?

Could BMW build its own Toyota Land Cruiser? Everyone knows that Japanese automotive magazines have a tendency to publish rumours, especially very eye-catching ones, and the latest one concerns BMW and the possibility that it will work, hand in hand, with Toyota to build its own version of the Toyota Land Cruiser.

BMW and Toyota have joined forces on previous occasions, most recently with the new Toyota Supra that we recently tested at the Jarama Circuit. The BMW Z4 is also the fruit of this collaborative relationship.

As MacX of Japan reports, citing hamad1two3 in an Instagram post, both manufacturers are looking to extend their partnership to off-roaders. It is further claimed that customers of the Munich brand, especially those in Russia and the Middle East, are demanding a vehicle with capabilities similar to those of the Toyota Land Cruiser, but with the luxury features expected of a BMW.

A Toyota Land Cruiser from BMW?

The largest current SUV from the Bavarian brand is the BMW X7 and, although it can leave the road and has off-road capabilities, it is not as tough as the current Lexus LX, which would also be based on the Toyota Land Cruiser. If BMW were given a platform used to develop the off-roader, it could create an SUV with genuine off-road credentials, seating eight people and with all the refinement and trim found in the BMW X7 and the smaller BMW X models such as the BMW X1, the BMW X2, the BMW X3, the BMW X4, the BMW X5 and the BMW X6.

Some sources have contacted both car manufacturers to see whether there is any truth to these rumours, but so far neither brand, BMW or Toyota, has confirmed the news. That said, we are not convinced this model will actually happen, but we will have to wait and see.

Nevertheless, it is not impossible that Toyota and BMW intend to expand their partnership following the success of the Toyota Supra and the BMW Z4. Doing so in the SUV market would make sense, given the popularity these vehicles are enjoying.

The Toyota Land Cruiser, here’s how it works

The Toyota Land Cruiser is fitted with a 2.8-litre, four-cylinder turbodiesel engine capable of 177 CV and reaches a top speed of 175 km/h. To make the most of its power, this unit can be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic gearbox.

With the automatic gearbox, the Toyota off-roader delivers a maximum torque of 450 Nm, which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.7 seconds. This model keeps its signature element, the exclusive body-on-frame construction, which offers numerous advantages over competitors with monocoque chassis. In this version, the Japanese brand has improved its 4×4 capabilities thanks to its two rear differential variants and its new Auto mode within the Multi-Terrain Select System.