Toyota has launched its new 300 Series LandCruiser with a range of genuine accessories for owners that like to customise their vehicles to suit their requirements.
The manufacturer recognises the millions of dollars that owners of four-wheel drive vehicles spend with aftermarket suppliers on accessories and would love to get a chunk of that money on top of the vehicle purchase.
The benefit to vehicle owners in buying genuine Toyota accessories for their car is that the accessories are then covered by the same factory warranty as the car itself.
Back in May when we got a preview of the 300 with a drive of a prototype vehicle, we were impressed to see that it was fitted with an aluminium bullbar, Warn winch and roof racks. Like the cars themselves, the accessories went through extensive development process which included prototyping and miles of on- and off-road testing.
Work on the new LandCruiser’s steel and aluminium bullbars began in 2015, around the same time as development of the car itself, with engineers focusing on strength and regulation compliance. Airflow for cooling was also very important as the 300’s dual intercoolers are positioned behind either side of the front bumper, just under the LED headlights.
UPDATE, October 14 2021: The LC300 has now made its proper Australian debut, and you can read and watch our full first-drive review here.
The result is a choice of aluminium or steel bullbars for the 300, the latter available in either a plain black finish or painted to match the body colour. Both bars are able to accept an electric winch, with the approved winch being a Warn unit fitted with synthetic rope. The 9000kg winch is concealed by a flip-up number plate when not in use.
The bullbars reduce the 300’s approach angle from the standard 32° to 28.5°, while it improved on the 24° of the Sahara models.
The bars also have a slot in them designed to accept a factory-approved light bar. The 120W light bar utilises 24 LEDs in a combination of spot and flood beams, and is fitted with a breather for times when it is dunked in water, while keeping water and dust out. Like the other accessories, the light bar has been extensively tested for durability and resistance to the elements.
All LC300s above the GX specification are fitted with factory roof rails which can then be fitted with a new-design roof tray that in turn can be equipped with a range of accessories to mount various loads and sports items.
The LC300 GX can be fitted with a three-bar rack that also accepts the new roof tray and accessories. The roof is rated to carry 92kg on GX models and 90kg on the higher-spec variants.
Other genuine Toyota accessories that will appeal to buyers wanting to take their Cruiser off road include a 5mm aluminium underbody bash plate that mounts under the bullbar to protect components under the car from damage and 8000kg-rated recovery points that mount directly to the chassis.
There is also a genuine air-intake snorkel available; the LC300’s wading depth is 700mm with or without the snorkel.
Many owners will chose a LandCruiser for its 3500kg towing capacity and the 300 has its tow bar integrated in the back of the chassis and the wiring for towing is included with the standard loom.
With the enduring popularity of the LandCruiser model, we expect the aftermarket to jump in and develop their own ranges of accessories for the new model but with delivery of vehicles being severely restricted for the foreseeable future, they might take a bit longer than usual to get their kit to market. Non approved non-genuine accessories are not covered by the vehicle’s factory warranty.
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