The Germans have this word — echt — used to describe something that is genuine, typical, the real thing. Echt Beatles would be, depending on your point of view, either Rubber Soul or Sergeant Pepper. For Toyota, the decision is easier. Echt Toyota can only be the FJ40. Built for 24 years, the FJ40 served as Toyota's beachhead to new markets, developed the company's reputation for reliability, and kept Toyota afloat in the U.S. for five years when the FJ40 was the only vehicle it sold here.
The FJ40 shuffled off towards the sunset in 1984, but Toyota wasn't going to let its rugged off-roader slip quietly into trivia answers. With the launch of the FJ Cruiser in 2006, Toyota aimed to yoke its present to its past and capture the spirit of its bygone off-roader. But is there some shared DNA, some shared purpose, which unites the FJ Cruiser and FJ40? Or is Toyota's thoroughly modern truck just riding the latest wave of retrofuturistic nostalgia?
I don't even need to read the article. A bloated, big 'n' wide unibody rig with IFS and blind spots the size of Missouri is an FJ in name only.
The original FJ40 was a viable Jeep CJ competitor. The only place a new FJ Cruiser can compete with a new Wrangler is for parking spots at the local Starbucks.
I don't even need to read the article. A bloated, big 'n' wide unibody rig with IFS and blind spots the size of Missouri is an FJ in name only.
The original FJ40 was a viable Jeep CJ competitor. The only place a new FJ Cruiser can compete with a new Wrangler is for parking spots at the local Starbucks.
Maybe you should have, becuase the article very articulately addressed this issue
But is there some shared DNA, some shared purpose, which unites the FJ Cruiser and FJ40? Or is Toyota's thoroughly modern truck just riding the latest wave of retrofuturistic nostalgia?
There might be SOME shared DNA, but imo this vehicle is 80% retrofuturistic nostalgia, in the same mold as the VW Beetle. Silver-painted plastic covers designed to look like aluminum on the bumpers? It's the same lack of authenticity you feel in a Beetle when you discover the body-colored interior of the door is a plastic cover..."oh darn " The FJ is full of similarly disappointing details.
<>< Looking for trades: Welding or machine shop equipment .308 rifle and ammo parting out a 2K GTI, hit me up
I don't even need to read the article. A bloated, big 'n' wide unibody rig with IFS and blind spots the size of Missouri is an FJ in name only.
The original FJ40 was a viable Jeep CJ competitor. The only place a new FJ Cruiser can compete with a new Wrangler is for parking spots at the local Starbucks.
Opinionated, much!?!?
try reading the article... it will reduce the generalizations as well as make you sound less ignorant
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-= * * * Pabst Blue Ribbon * * * =-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=- I am not living, I am just killing time. -=-=-=-=-=-=-
I personally have loved this thing since the first time I saw it. I would take one in a minute. I seriously think some of you people stay up at night just dreaming about which vehicle you get to crap on the next day.
If Toyota had put out another bland SUV you would all be bitching about that too. Had this thing only been available in Japan and Australia you would all be bitching about how they need to bring it here.
I personally have loved this thing since the first time I saw it. I would take one in a minute. I seriously think some of you people stay up at night just dreaming about which vehicle you get to crap on the next day.
If Toyota had put out another bland SUV you would all be bitching about that too. Had this thing only been available in Japan and Australia you would all be bitching about how they need to bring it here.
Not at all; it's for the same reason VW was lambasted for the New Beetle, Porsche was poo-pooed for the 996, and BMW was praised for the MINI. When you revive a storied, legendary nameplate, you damn well better respect the original and understand what made it what it was. You have to keep its "spirit" intact and show a certain reverence for the original, not exploit it for a few nostalgia-driven dollars. What does the FJ Cruiser have to do with the original? How does it stay true to its ancestor? It doesn't. Neither does the New Beetle, or the Impala, or any number of others.
█♣█ + ███ | FireVortex | Sunlight on chrome, the blur of the landscape... every nerve aware | T'aime, Cocotte
How does it stay true to its ancestor? It doesn't. Neither does the New Beetle, or the Impala, or any number of others.
You were doing good until you got there. The Impala isn't meant to be a retro machine or true to its ancestors. It is and always has been a basic full size family sedan.
The original FJ was a spartan purpose built machine that was great for it's time, but is a relic now. The new FJ is a nostalgic nod in the direction of the original FJ that has _some_ off-road capabilities, but even Toyota admits that it's not going to equal or surpass the older machine in it's off-road capabilities. Times have changed and target markets have changed.
That's what I got from my pre-coffee scan of the article. Have I interpreted it correctly?
Quote, originally posted by axe »
Honda threads are like dubber douchebag flypaper
Quote, originally posted by nachtmusik »
while humans might be the most intelligent species on the planet, simply being human is no guarantee of being intelligent...
try reading the article... it will reduce the generalizations as well as make you sound less ignorant
Tuesday Morning Update: I read the article. My original views still stand.
I made no generalizations and no ignorant conclusions. When I heard that Toyota was dusting off the FJ name, I was hoping for something more off-road oriented. Jeep has had the small, drop-top, real 4x4 market covered since the demise of the Defender, and while I'm a Jeep fan through and through I'd love nothing more than to see others come to this party. But instead of solid front axles, removable tops, and tidy dimensions, Toyota gave us independent front suspension, awkward porthole windows, and acres of flab. The FJCruiser is a nice looking truck, and for the money it's rather well appointed. It's also proven itself to be off-roadable in the same vein as other Toyota 4x4s.
But I guess I was hoping for more of a return to the FJ roots rather than a nod and wave from inside the country club. The fact that Jeep has stuck with the ragtop & solid axles formula tells me it could have been done, but Toyota wasn't willing to go this far, and I can't say I blame them.
There are parts of the world where, buying new, I would turn down the Wrangler for another manufacturer's body-on-frame, solid-axle, short-wheelbase 4x4. Search posts under my user name containing the word "Jeep" and you'll understand how much of a statement that is for me to make.
Is the FJC available worldwide? It seems to me that such a soft-roader image machine would be a U.S.-only or U.S.-mainly sort of rig.
There are parts of the world where, buying new, I would turn down the Wrangler for another manufacturer's body-on-frame, solid-axle, short-wheelbase 4x4. Search posts under my user name containing the word "Jeep" and you'll understand how much of a statement that is for me to make.
Is the FJC available worldwide? It seems to me that such a soft-roader image machine would be a U.S.-only or U.S.-mainly sort of rig.
N-A only so far.
The Defender is still built and going strong, although it isn't sold on these shores anymore (regrettably).
█♣█ + ███ | FireVortex | Sunlight on chrome, the blur of the landscape... every nerve aware | T'aime, Cocotte
Is the FJC available worldwide? It seems to me that such a soft-roader image machine would be a U.S.-only or U.S.-mainly sort of rig.
...and you'd be right. In places where the Land Cruiser is still a spartan workhorse, they get the model shown above (with the snorkel and whatnot), called the Land Cruiser 70-series. The FJ Cruiser is left-hand-drive only.
Splinter - Team Post-Killing Ninja My decantering is delicate and courageous.
I think the article nailed it, expressing Toyotas wish to create a vehicle that reminds everyone of their history.
Now if Toyota was to create a true offroad vehicle like the original FJ, they could take the old design, slap some safety features on it and resell it. However, a move like this would simply satiate the hard-core enthusiasts, leaving the general public clueless to Toyotas moves. The new FJ does garner attention from the soccer moms and the enthusiasts (both good or bad).
I feel that if you want a true inspiration from the original, most would go back to the original, and choose something like the TLC Icon. Or for something a little tamer, wait for a Crosslander 244.
Now if Toyota was to create a true offroad vehicle like the original FJ, they could take the old design, slap some safety features on it and resell it.
There are left-hand-drive versions of the LC70, and it wouldn't take much to federalize them since they meet ECE safety standards, though they would need to come up with a gas engine that would meet our expectations.
Splinter - Team Post-Killing Ninja My decantering is delicate and courageous.
Wondering if I'm going to get flamed here... We have one. And we love it. Technically it's my fiance's car, but it'll soon me half mine. She went from a TT to the FJ. Before you gasp (which I did), we've got greyhounds, and they didn't fit in the TT-she needed something to transport them if I was not around. We'd both rather cut off a limb than even mention a... um...van that is not full sized... When she saw it, ironically at a dog park, she wouldn't stop talking about it. One day, I said fine, let's go drive one-I guarantee you'll hate it. She didn't. Neither did I. It rides much smoother than the Volvo, it's got ample power, handles the dogs with aplomb, gets respectable mileage (same as the Volvo) and is great in the snow-we live in the boondocks and when we do see a plow, it's often in the ditch. It does exactly what we need an SUV to do. She bought one two weeks later, and REQUESTED the steelies (I'm so proud of her) and tinted it. It's a great vehicle, and I think it's great looking, too. As far as the FJ Moniker? Let's face it, it should be called the 4Run Cruiser. I think we can all agree that it really only has the F and the J in common with the FJ40, but it's still a great vehicle.
Quote, originally posted by ATL_Av8r »
There are so many starving children in the world that could be fed for years with the money it took to build that car. And I would line them all up in a line and hit them at 180mph WITH this car.
Tuesday Morning Update: I read the article. My original views still stand.
I made no generalizations and no ignorant conclusions. When I heard that Toyota was dusting off the FJ name, I was hoping for something more off-road oriented. Jeep has had the small, drop-top, real 4x4 market covered since the demise of the Defender, and while I'm a Jeep fan through and through I'd love nothing more than to see others come to this party. But instead of solid front axles, removable tops, and tidy dimensions, Toyota gave us independent front suspension, awkward porthole windows, and acres of flab. The FJCruiser is a nice looking truck, and for the money it's rather well appointed. It's also proven itself to be off-roadable in the same vein as other Toyota 4x4s.
But I guess I was hoping for more of a return to the FJ roots rather than a nod and wave from inside the country club. The fact that Jeep has stuck with the ragtop & solid axles formula tells me it could have been done, but Toyota wasn't willing to go this far, and I can't say I blame them.
But you'll never see me in no porto-potty cruiser
Nice article Motive!
I don't own an FJ or a Wrangler nor do I have any long-term experience doing hardcore off-roading in either of them. However, earlier this year when I visited Consumer Reports test facility I can say that I saw the FJ climb their tester rock wall with ease where the body-on-frame Wrangler had issues and the Explorer Sport Trac was a dismal third.
Why? The FJ has a standard locking rear diff. The Jeep does have that as an option, but is left wanting if you don't check that box when you place your order. The CR Jeep didn't have it. Further, only the most hardcore owners will think to ask for that if they buy one new or used off of the lot.
she gets 19-22mpg real world. She regularily travels back to the town we used to live in-180 mi away- and gets 22 on the highway. Admittedly, the blind spot IS awkward. It IS big. However--my fiance came from driving a TT. Ironically, another major blind spot offender-so she was used to it. I don't find it that bad either-unless you're in HEAVY traffic.(of course that's only when I'm PERMITTED to drive it-which is seldom.)
Quote, originally posted by ATL_Av8r »
There are so many starving children in the world that could be fed for years with the money it took to build that car. And I would line them all up in a line and hit them at 180mph WITH this car.
The only thing that has kept me from possibly purchasing one of these is the big ass blind spot. I have 2 kids and have actually put them in the back seat to see how they liked it. The first thing the oldest one said was "I can't see". Someone on here said it before, but it's like sitting in an airplane when you're in the back seat. Overall I think they are pretty cool and have some nice aftermarket support. Yeah, it's definitely not a FJ40, but it does has some mojo.
I forgot to add this: At my previous job, I had 2 landcruisers as company cars-the first was a 1992 with locking diff (it was amazing in the snow) and the 2nd was a 1994. They looked similar, but the 92 was WAY more of a 'truck' than the 1994. I loved them both, but prefer the FJ. The LCs were too big.
Quote, originally posted by ATL_Av8r »
There are so many starving children in the world that could be fed for years with the money it took to build that car. And I would line them all up in a line and hit them at 180mph WITH this car.
I don't think the FJ40 was as popular with women as the new one LAWL.
"Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. But we've discovered that owning things and consuming things does not satisfy our longing for meaning. We've learned that piling up material goods cannot fill the emptiness of lives which have no confidence or purpose." - Jimmy Carter, 1978
Here's some brochures and fliers that I accumulated when researching this. These are all thumbnails, and you can get the full-res versions by clicking on them.
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" The FJ is full of similarly disappointing details. 
