A diesel engine makes all sorts of sense for a touring off-roader designed to tackle the worst of the Aussie outback. In a country where distances between service stations can be vast and conditions harsh, the toughness and relative fuel economy of a good diesel engine are deal-makers.
Toyota’s four-valve-per-cylinder, electronically-injected 1HD-FTE was really the ultimate expression of six-cylinder diesel grunt and was only replaced by the V8 turbo-diesel that still powers current-model LandCruisers. The 1HD-FTE is still revered by many and thought to be a more reliable and easy-to-maintain engine than the newer V8. It’s also a lot easier to package in the Cruiser’s engine bay. But let’s take a look at how it all happened.
In the world of Toyota four-wheel-drives, the turbo-diesel turned up in Australia in the 1980s with the 12HT in the 60 Series and soon made a name for itself. In fact, the 12HT remains one of the best loved Toyota oilers of all time and is a popular retrofit to older Cruisers getting a new lease on life.
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