First Toyota 4x4
In 1951, long before Toyota became a global leader, the company responded to a request to develop a 4x4 vehicle for police reserve forces. This led to the creation of the Toyota Jeep, later known as the https://america-auto.com/model/toyota-4runner 4Runner.
Design work began in August 1950, and the prototype was ready by January 1951. The vehicle used the chassis of the one-ton SB truck, with a compact 4x2 setup and a 994cc engine. Toyota adapted this with a new front axle and a simple single-speed transfer case. For power, they used a robust 3.4-liter, six-cylinder B-series engine producing 85 horsepower.
The body resembled a wartime jeep, which was simple to manufacture and slightly more spacious due to its longer wheelbase. Initially named the Toyota Jeep (with "J" standing for "Jeep", the name caused legal issues with Willys-Overland, which held the Jeep trademark. The confusion was due to Toyota's misunderstanding of the term "jeep" as a generic vehicle type.
Ultimately, the name "Land Cruiser" was coined by Managing Director Hanji Umehara on June 24, 1954, marking the beginning of a legendary line of vehicles.
