The Land Cruiser GR Sport, which has a US Toyota manufacturer license plate, will not be heading to the Chicago Auto Show.
February 3, 2023 11:03
Update: Toyota has informed us that it will not be showing the new Land Cruiser GR Sport at the 2023 Chicago Auto Show, but has not explained why the car would be sold in the United States.
Photos of a Toyota Land Cruiser showing up in the United States with Illinois manufacturer license plates have sparked speculation that the iconic SUV could be preparing to return to North America.
A 2023 Land Cruiser GR Sport was photographed in the back of a transporter along with a BMW M4 and two Jeep Wranglers. Close-up photos show prominent GR branding and a partial red leather interior.
Toyota withdrew the J200 Land Cruiser from the North American market in 2021 due to poor sales and chose not to import its 2022 J300 replacement, instead offering only Toyota’s high-end sister model, the Lexus LX. Both models swapped their predecessor’s naturally aspirated V8 engine for a 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6 rated at 409 horsepower (415 PS).
But late last year, Jack Hollis, Toyota’s executive vice president of North American sales, hinted that the legendary rugged truck might have unfinished business on the continent. “Will we? I think it’s very likely,” he said when asked. Car Trends Will Toyota bring the Land Cruiser back to US showrooms?
Related: Latest Toyota Land Cruiser sells for double the price in Japan’s used car market
“Obviously, Land Cruiser is a big part of our heritage and has been a huge success,” Hollis continued. “I would certainly consider it. Have I seen the design, the ideas, the hopes? Yes. But nothing to announce. It’s still a while before it’s available.”
That just happened last December, and Toyota’s Japanese production team is already struggling to keep up with demand for the new version of the truck in other parts of the world, so it’s highly unlikely that Toyota is ready to announce U.S. sales right now.
Since it won’t be at next week’s Chicago Auto Show (where Toyota plans to debut the 2024 Grand Highlander), we speculate that Toyota North America may just be doing some internal evaluation drives of the 2023 Land Cruiser.
Do you want Toyota to bring the new Land Cruiser to North America? Do you think enough people would buy this vehicle? Leave a comment and let us know.
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