Kyosho KS08959BE scale model Off-road vehicle model Preassembled 1:18

In 1951, the Land Cruiser was developed and trained in the harshest environments around the world. The U.S. military and National Police Reserve (now the Ground Self-Defense Force) required a locally produced vehicle with similar specifications to the Willys-Overland Jeep. Toyota installed a B-type in-line 6-cylinder 3.4ℓ engine (85ps, 4-speed MT) for trucks on its J-type chassis, which was an improved version of the SB-type engine for small trucks. Toyota created the Jeep BJ prototype by combining this engine-chassis combination with a four-wheel drive system to compete against the Nissan and Mitsubishi machines. Mitsubishi was eventually chosen and delivered its jeep to the US military and the National Police Reserve. The losing Toyota model was later adopted as a patrol car by the National Police (now the Metropolitan Police Department). With dimensions of 3,800mm in length and 1,575mm in width, it was a very compact car and from 1953 it became commercially available as well as contract-manufactured for wireless communication vehicles as well as other special purposes including the fire department which upgraded to the more powerful F-type engine (95ps). In 1954 the name ‘Jeep’ was determined to infringe of Willys-Overland trademark rights and the name was changed to Land Cruiser, and the legend has grown ever since.