The 2025 SEMA Show kicks off soon. A handful of automakers use this event to highlight modified versions of their lineup. There's a bit of something for everyone; you're likely to find heavily modified machines next to aftermarket wheel and tire options.
The best SEMA builds, however, arise when an automaker remembers its heritage and finds a new way to celebrate what makes it great. Toyota clearly realizes this, because the automaker has created an FJ60 Land Cruiser packing modern i-Force power.
Fans of the Land Cruiser could make great arguments for their favorite generation of the truck. But for my money, the FJ60 is the perfect bridge between truly vintage off-road vehicles and their modern counterparts. It's boxy yet beautiful, and Toyota makes a smart choice here, employing it as the platform for this restomod.
Lift the hood and you will not see an inline-six cylinder engine staring back at you. Instead, Toyota bolted in a twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6. This mill normally sits in the snout of the Toyota Tundra. Here, though, it's making better use of its power, I can assure you that.
This setup delivers 389 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Toyota's own Motorsports Garage engineers crafted a bellhousing so the i-Force engine could bolt up to the original five-speed manual transmission of the FJ60. In order for everything to fit correctly, those crafty engineers had to modify the oil pan and fabricate a custom exhaust.
It doesn't stop at the powertrain, however, as Toyota also gives this FJ60 a styling and capability edge. It sits taller thanks to the 1.5-inch suspension lift and 35-inch tires. The silver paint is a reproduction of a Toyota color from 1986. There's a turbo badge out back. Meanwhile, the sound in the cabin gets a boost courtesy of a modern JBL audio system.
As a complete package, the Toyota Turbo Trail Cruiser concept works wonderfully well. Those exterior upgrades give it an aggressive stance, while the powertrain offers the punch to back it up.
If there were a Mount Rushmore for automotive icons, I think we could agree on a few of the legends deserving of the honor. The Porsche 911? Of course. Some might raise a hand for the Mazda Miata. I think another spot should be occupied by the Toyota Land Cruiser. Even if you're not a fan of it, there's no denying that it remains a steadfast symbol of adventure and reliability all over the globe.
This Turbo Trail Cruiser might be trading in some of that reliability for a dose of modern power. Regardless, it's a rad restmod mod done right.
