8 November 2026 · 6 min read
Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 history: Japan's classic 4x4 and its appeal in the UK
At a British classic car meet, most people can spot a Series Land Rover across the car park. A Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 tends to make people walk over for a closer look. The white grille surround, round headlights and upright windscreen are unmistakable once you know them. Then you hear the straight-six and realise this Japanese 4x4 has a character all its own.
Why Toyota built the FJ40
The story starts in 1951 with the Toyota Jeep BJ, developed for Japan's National Police Reserve. The reserve passed on it, but local police forces adopted it and Toyota renamed it the Land Cruiser in 1954. The 20 Series followed in 1955 with more civilian-friendly styling and a role in Toyota's early export push. By the time the 40 Series arrived in August 1960, Toyota already had a foothold overseas and a practical reason to build on it. Toyota's Land Cruiser history
The 40 Series carried over the 20 Series chassis and added a two-speed transfer case. Low range gave drivers more control on steep climbs and rough ground, where slow, steady progress mattered. Toyota offered several wheelbases and body styles, from short soft-tops to long-wheelbase pickups. The FJ40 was the short-wheelbase petrol model, launched with a 3.9-litre straight-six. The later 4.2-litre 2F gave it the engine many enthusiasts now associate with the badge. The diesel BJ40 was part of the same family. Toyota's 40 Series archive · Toyota USA model history
What did the FJ40 compete with?
The Land Rover Series II is the most natural comparison for British readers. Both were compact utility 4x4s with a choice of bodies and a place on farms and worksites. In America, the Jeep CJ-5 offered another short, open-bodied off-roader with military roots. Japan had a home-grown rival too. The Nissan Patrol 60 Series arrived in 1960, the same year as the Toyota. The FJ40's big petrol straight-six is a large part of what gives it a different feel from a typical four-cylinder Series Land Rover. Land Rover heritage · Jeep heritage · Nissan Heritage Collection
How many FJ40 Land Cruisers were exported?
Toyota's December 1981 announcement gives a precise figure of 1,000,166 Land Cruisers exported by the end of November 1981. That figure covers the Land Cruiser range across generations. The surviving public figures give a useful sense of scale, though an FJ40-only export tally by country remains elusive. Toyota's original export announcement
| Market | What the records show |
|---|---|
| United States | A sales table published by Cool Cruisers of Texas and attributed to Toyota Motor Sales USA gives 11,218 combined FJ40 and FJ55 sales in 1973. US sales table |
| Australia | Toyota Australia records the 100,000th Land Cruiser sold by distributor Thiess-Toyota in 1981, counting Land Cruisers across models. Toyota Australia |
| Brazil | Toyota recorded more than 100,000 Bandeirantes built by November 1999. The Bandeirante was Brazil's locally produced Land Cruiser relative. Toyota's Latin American archive |
| Indonesia | Toyota Astra dates the local introduction of the fully built imported FJ40 to 1975. Toyota Astra |
| United Kingdom | Toyota UK places the start of official Land Cruiser sales in the mid-1970s, with FJ40 volumes unconfirmed. Toyota UK history |
Why the FJ40 is an unusual classic 4x4 in the UK
Britain already had a thriving Land Rover culture by the time the Land Cruiser went on official sale here. That history helps explain why the FJ40 still feels like a discovery at a British classic car meet, even though Land Cruisers became familiar sights in places such as Australia. Land Rover heritage
The appeal is easy to get once you spend time with one. A canvas-top FJ40 with the sides rolled up makes even a short run down a country lane feel like an outing. A hardtop has its own appeal on a wet Sunday in November. Either way, the upright driving position and the lazy note of the six-cylinder engine set the pace. Expect wind noise and a firm ride on leaf springs. These are old working trucks, and you feel it.
If you're looking for a Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 in the UK, find out where it spent its working life and ask for photos of the chassis and body before any restoration. Check which engine and gearbox it actually has, and how well the roof and doors fit. A well-documented rebuild tells you far more about the truck you'll live with than a fresh coat of paint.