By Otsile Kadiege

Toyota South Africa has added a new 5-speed manual transmission to the updated Land Cruiser 70 Series which comprises Station Wagon and Single Cab body types. Mated to the Land Cruiser 70 Series’ 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, the new manual powertrain joins the existing six-speed automatic gearbox.

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) believes the addition of the new manual option for the Land Cruiser 70 Series would broaden the appeal of the iconic four-wheel drive and help satisfy the demands of those who prefer a manual gearbox. The new 2.8-litre manual powertrain generates a maximum power of 150kW from 3200-3400rpm and 450Nm of torque over a wide peak band of 2400-3000rpm. The manual transmission offers unique gear ratios and strengthened components to suit the usage of the Land Cruiser 70 Series.

Compared with the previous V8 manual Land Cruiser 70 Series, the new manual gearbox has been designed to make the most of the four-cylinder engine’s higher torque output with shorter first, second and third gears to aid start-off performance, and a longer fifth gear to help improve fuel economy and reduce engine noise when cruising at highway speeds.

A new flywheel compatible with a 12-inch clutch has also been adopted for the new powertrain, providing excellent clutch slip resistance, while a triple synchronization mechanism has been added for the first gear to enhance shifting operability. Along with the range of durability-focused engine upgrades applied to four-cylinder grades in early 2024, manual variants further add a dust seal to the rear end plate to prevent ingress of foreign matter to the release bearing.

Pricing and warranty

Single-cab

LC79 4.0 Petrol S/C 5MT – R765,500

LC79 4.2 Diesel S/C 5MT – R829,000

LC79 4.5 Diesel V8 S/C 5MT – R956,200

LC79 2.8 GD-6 Diesel S/C 5MT – R887,000

LC79 2.8 GD-6 Diesel S/C 6AT – R917,100

Double-cab

LC79 4.0 Petrol D/C 5MT – R864,600

LC79 4.2 Diesel D/C 5MT – R920,800

LC79 4.5 Diesel V8 D/C 5MT – R1,039,200

LC79 2.8 GD-6 Diesel D/C 6AT – R1,009,000

Station wagon

LC78 4.2 Diesel SW 5MT – R900,100

LC76 2.8 GD-6 Diesel SW 5MT – R969,800

LC76 2.8 GD-6 Diesel SW 6AT – R999,900

LC 76 2.8 GD-6 VX Diesel SW 6AT – R1,091,400

All Land Cruiser 70 Series models are offered with a 3-year/100 000km warranty and an optional 100 000km service plan.