TORRANCE, Calif., May 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Land Cruiser,
Toyota's iconic go-anywhere four-wheel-drive sport-utility vehicle,
has earned myriad accolades and records over the 60-plus years it's
been in production. And now, among them: the title of "World's
Fastest SUV" thanks to a record speed of over 230 mph, attained by
the custom 2,000-horsepower Land Speed Cruiser.
With former Toyota NASCAR driver Carl
Edwards at the helm, the understated Land Speed Cruiser
shattered the previous "World's Fastest SUV" record by more than 19
mph, reaching a GPS-verified and video-documented 230.02 mph before
running out of usable pavement. With enough track ahead, the Land
Speed Cruiser could be expected to go even faster.
"At Toyota, we like to say 'Let's Go Places,' and the Land Speed
Cruiser goes places faster than any SUV before it. This was an
aspirational goal that inspired us all," said Steve Appelbaum, Toyota Motor Sales National
Engagement Marketing Manager. "We achieved success by employing the
kind of innovative solutions and unyielding determination that have
long represented the core of Toyota's soul."
The Land Speed Cruiser, which debuted at the 2016 Specialty
Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, started life as a stock
production model before being heavily modified by a team of
engineers at Toyota's Motorsports Technical Center (MTC).
"The World's Fastest SUV record was at 211 mph. That's extremely
fast. Toyota thought, 'Why don't we make a really, ultra-powerful
Land Cruiser, and let's just see how fast we can make it can go,'"
said MTC Manager, Chuck Wade.
Using the Land Cruiser's production 5.7-liter 3UR-FE V8 engine
as a starting point, the team added a pair of volleyball-sized
Garrett turbochargers that are capable of producing up to 55 PSI of
boost. To cope with extreme force induction, the MTC team upgraded
the engine's internals with sturdier pistons and rods and a
custom-made intake manifold, among other key items. This helped
ensure the monstrous V8 could safely and reliably produce over
2,000 horsepower for its record-setting runs. The role of doling
power was left to a custom racing transmission strong enough to
withstand the stresses and abuses of high power and tremendous
speeds.
However, building the engine was the easy part. Driving
in excess of 200 mph challenges a vehicle's aerodynamics and
stability. To aid controllability, the Land Speed Cruiser sits
lower to the pavement, thus dramatically reducing the amount of
turbulent air allowed to pass underneath. Its frame received some
massaging in order to maintain optimal suspension geometry, and was
narrowed by 3 inches to accommodate wider Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
Test driver and championship road racer, Craig Stanton, played a key role in fine tuning
the Land Speed Cruiser's setup at Toyota's Arizona Proving Ground
(TAPG). His input was translated into tactile changes made by MTC's
engineers.
"I wanted the Land Speed Cruiser to provide the confidence you
need, as a driver, to keep pushing even when the world around you
becomes a high speed blur," he said. "We made some setup
adjustments, and it not only accelerates and shifts more smoothly,
but it also has enhanced stability."
With the Land Speed Cruiser dialed-in and finally ready for its
record-setting run, recently-retired Toyota NASCAR driver
Carl Edwards met the team at Mojave
Air and Space Port in Mojave,
California. In addition to being one of the very few places
in the US where supersonic flight is allowed, it features a two and
a half mile paved runway perfectly suited to the Land Speed
Cruiser's mission.
Prior to Edwards' run, Stanton warmed-up the SUV, moving it
along at a hefty 198 mph. On his first run, Edwards was able to hit
an awe-inspiring 211 mph, but found himself running out of pavement
to slow the big SUV. More boost was then dialed in to up the power,
and he tried again.
The next run proved to be the most impressive. Edwards put the
hammer down, and piloted the Land Speed Cruiser to its jaw-dropping
230 mph record.
"At 225 mph, the thing was wandering a little bit. All I could
think was that Craig said, 'No matter what, just keep your foot in
it,' and we got 230 mph," Edwards recounted from behind a huge grin
after setting the record. "It's safe to say that this is the
fastest SUV on the planet."
High-resolution photography can be downloaded at
toyotanewsroom.com
Contact:
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Dan Gardner, Gardner
Automotive Communications
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dgardner@gardnerautocomm.com
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(310)
489-3094
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Media
Website:
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http://toyotanewsroom.com
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Public
Website:
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http://toyota.com
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SOURCE Toyota Motor North America