The door is ajar to the return of V8 power in the Toyota LandCruiser four-wheel-drive... but it is far from confirmed.
Toyota's first all-new V8 in nearly 20 years could pave the way for the return of eight cylinders to the full-size LandCruiser 300 Series.
A word of warning for keen prospective customers, however: it is just a technical possibility for the time being, and a new V8 LandCruiser is not a vehicle in active development.
It does, however, point to the capability of Toyota's new V8 engine, which is set to debut as a twin-turbo 4.0-litre unit in the Toyota GR GT supercar due to be revealed next month.
With hybrid assistance in the supercar, it is slated to produce as much as 900 horsepower (662kW), with the potential for a higher redline than rival engines to fit its use in a performance application.
President of Toyota's powertrains division, Takashi Uehara, confirmed the V8 can fit in larger vehicles such as a LandCruiser.
"Yeah, [it] could be [installed in a LandCruiser]. [It's] possible," the executive said.
However, when asked to clarify if a V8 LandCruiser is actively being considered, or is simply feasible from an engineering perspective, Uehara-san told reporters: "It's just technically possible.
"'Nichts ist unmöglich', [that's] Toyota's catch-copy in Germany. [It means] nothing is impossible."
As with Toyota's next-generation 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines, the executive hinted at the potential for a range of V8 variants, including less extreme versions aimed at cars without sporting pretensions.
"We have several variations with the engines. For example, I don't say that for the 1.5-litre, we have only a practical one, and for [the] 2.0-litre, we have only a sporty one. I don't say [this].
"For both sizes of the engines, we have several variations, if it is necessary. So maybe we could have a V8 with [a] more gentle or more heavy-duty version."
He said the V8 is "widely speaking" a relative of the new-generation four-cylinders, and that characteristics of the engine block – the core structure of the motor – are "somehow close" between the 4.0-litre V8 and 2.0-litre four-cylinder.
The executive also said petrol and diesel versions of the new V8 engine are possible.
The chances of a V8 LandCruiser revival, however possible, are unlikely, given the latest 300 Series introduced new-design twin-turbo V6 petrol and diesel engines.
The petrol V6 is now available with single-motor hybrid assistance, and while similar technology is planned for the V8, it is highly unlikely the engine with a higher cylinder count would deliver any fuel-use or emissions benefits.
Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
