Toyota has now sold more than 10 million Land Cruisers

FROM the time the model debuted in August 1, 1951 until the end of August this year, more than 10 million examples of the Toyota Land Cruiser (all right, the car was called the “Jeep BJ” in the beginning, but still…) have been sold.

Toyota said the Land Cruiser (counting in the Jeep BJ) has been in continued production for 68 years.

It added exports of the Land Cruiser began with the 20 Series, introduced in November 1955 as the successor to the Jeep BJ. During this time fewer than 100 units were exported per year. By 1965 though exports had risen to more than 10,000 units a year. At present, Toyota said the Land Cruiser is sold in approximately 170 countries and territories, with annual global sales standing at around 400,000 units.

Toyota Jeep BJ, predecessor of the Land Cruiser.

1980 Land Cruiser 60 Series

1998 Land Cruiser 100 Series

2017 Land Cruiser Prado 150 Series

The carmaker credited the Land Cruiser for “significantly” contributing to increased consumer trust in the Toyota brand around the world, as well as for creating a foothold for the company to expand its exports.

In Africa, the Land Cruiser is used to provide humanitarian assistance. In Burundi, it is used to carry malaria-infected children to hospital while in refugee camps in Uganda, it transports patients to clinics.

In Australia, the Land Cruiser is used for mobility in zinc and copper mines some 1,600 meters underground. It is also used to herd cattle on vast ranches covering 8,000 square kilometers.

In Costa Rica, there are regions where the Land Cruiser is used to harvest carrots at altitudes of 3,500 meters, on slopes so steep that even humans have difficulty standing ― the reason being that “only the Land Cruiser is capable of reaching these fields.”