The Toyota Land Cruiser has an unassailable reputation as the toughest SUV on earth. Among the models that are available in the US, the 80-series is the one most sought after by off-road enthusiasts, thanks to its perfect balance of ruggedness and drivability.
However, in parts of the world with more hostile climates, Toyota offered more tricked-out versions, such as the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser VX-R recently for sale on eBay in Royal Oak, Mich.
King of the 4×4 Hill
The 80-series Land Cruiser is just about the perfect 4×4 money can buy. It’s new enough to generate good power from its robust, fuel-injected inline-six and modern enough to come equipped with luxury features like a decent stereo and power windows. But it’s still old-school enough to have the all-important solid front axle, which sacrifices a bit of comfort for the ability to crawl over obstacles without damaging the oil pan.
Add features like front-, rear-, and center-locking differentials for traction, and you have the ideal 4×4. In fact, Toyota based the dimensions of the newest iteration of the Land Cruiser, which debuted in 2021, on the 80, citing its ideal proportions for an off-road vehicle.
In extreme regions, such as the polar tundra of Iceland and the subtropical jungles of southeast Asia, locals place the Land Cruiser among the most desirable vehicles one can own. It’s as coveted as a Corvette is to a Midwestern American teen, and driving one can confer a certain level of social status to the owner.
This also holds for the unforgiving deserts of the Middle East, where Land Cruisers provide the ability to go anywhere in comfort, luxury, and prestige. Its stupendous reliability is a big plus in an environment where getting stranded could mean life or death.
Middle East Options
Imported from Saudi Arabia, the 80-series Land Cruiser VX-R for sale has several extra options that were never available on its US counterparts. It pairs the 4.5-liter gasoline engine with a five-speed manual transmission, providing more control, power, and fuel economy. In addition to the 25-gallon primary fuel tank, it has a 15-gallon backup tank.
Speaking of doubles, it has two full-size spares as well as dual-zone climate control with independent switches for front and rear passengers. Capping off its adventure gear is a factory brush guard at the front.
Comfort and convenience features include barn doors instead of a clamshell tailgate at the rear. The center console contains a factory cooler and ice maker.
Most US Land Cruisers feature leather power seats, but this example keeps it real with manual-adjustment cloth seats that are more resilient. Finally, this Land Cruiser VX-R has exclusive stripe graphics on the sides. An upright gold hood ornament is the cherry on top.
No Fear of High Miles
At first blush, its odometer reading of 299,000 km (185,000 miles) seems like a lot, but Land Cruisers can routinely clock 100,000 more than that with regular maintenance. The seller says they’ve had the front axle knuckles changed, which is a considerable piece of upkeep out of the way.
At $42,300, it’s not cheap. But a well-kept US-market Land Cruiser with locking diffs can cost $25,000. Piecing together all the remaining bits and shipping them here to make a comparable 4×4 would easily make up the difference.
If you want a turnkey example of the ultimate Land Cruiser, look no further.
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