The Fastest Tuned SUV Ever
Toyota’s Land Speed Cruiser
Alike Supercar Performance
SUVs are often associated with rugged off-road capability or family-friendly practicality. However, the ongoing SUV boom has transformed them into the dominant choice over sedans, and even sports car brands have entered the high-performance SUV market. Models like the Aston Martin DBX 707 and Ferrari Purosangue are pushing boundaries, delivering over 700 horsepower, achieving 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3 seconds, and reaching top speeds exceeding 300 km/h (186 mph).
Yet, some models surpass even these benchmarks when it comes to modified SUVs. One standout example is Toyota’s Land Speed Cruiser, unveiled in 2016. Originally an off-road-focused Land Cruiser, this heavily modified SUV was engineered to rival the performance of supercars.
A 2,000-Horsepower Beast
The Land Speed Cruiser was created to be the fastest SUV in existence. The best technology was needed to drive fast, and the Toyota Motorsports Technical Center was in charge of tuning. The stock engine is a V8 engine with a displacement of 5.7L and produces a maximum output of 381 horsepower. Toyota added turbo tuning to this to secure monstrous power.
This vehicle is equipped with a pair of Garrett turbines the size of volleyballs. The size is guessed from the huge round intakes on both sides of the front bumper. It produces a maximum boost pressure of up to 55 psi, and to handle this, race-spec pistons, connecting rods, and a custom intake manifold were applied. As a result, the maximum output reaches a whopping 2,000 horsepower.
Rear-Wheel Drive and Extensive Modifications
It has a custom racing transmission from ATI that transmits more than five times the stock engine’s power to the wheels. Surprisingly, it is rear-wheel drive, not four-wheel drive. Since the goal was to set a top speed record, much care was put into reinforcing the body. An oversized air skirt was installed at the bottom of the front bumper, and a flat cover was installed at the bottom of the rear bumper to optimize the airflow under the vehicle.
The frame and suspension geometry have also been strengthened to improve stability at high speeds. The car height has been lowered by 127 mm (5 inches), and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires have been applied. The side mirrors have been replaced with small cameras to reduce air resistance. For the interior, a thick roll cage and exclusive bucket seats have been applied to give it a racing car feel, but most of the remaining parts, such as the dashboard and steering wheel, have been maintained in their original state.
Record-Breaking Speed at Mojave
The rear seats were boldly removed to achieve lightweight, but the curb weight is 2.6 tons (5,732 pounds), which is not much different from before tuning. This is because the weight of the additional parts that went into tuning was also considerable. However, Toyota succeeded in setting a new SUV speed record with the Land Speed Cruiser. The speed was measured on the Mojave Airport runway in the California desert, and the driver was former NASCAR driver Carl Edwards.
The runway was about 4 km (2.5 miles) in length, which gave 2.5 km (1.6 miles) for acceleration and 1.5 km (0.9 miles) for braking. On the first attempt, a top speed of 339 km/h (211 mph) was recorded, close to the previous record of 339.5 km/h (211 mph) of the Brabus GLK V12. However, on the second attempt, 370.1 km/h (230 mph) was recorded, earning the world’s fastest SUV title. Toyota said, “If the runway had been long enough, we could have achieved a higher speed.”
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