There's nothing like a short-wheelbase 4x4 – compact, great off-road and easy on the eyes
And with a factory five-speed manual + turbo-diesel engine, this one is genuinely as rare as hen's teeth.
Short-Wheelbase (SWB) 4x4s are the ones to have.
Their compact footprint makes them easier to drive and manage off-road, but they also look the best too. Stubby and short, they’re as high off the ground as they are long, and they clearly don’t look like the four-door Aussie-delivered one your mate’s mum once had.
This Toyota Land Cruiser Prado goes one-step further being a rare factory five-speed manual model; and with that transmission strapped to a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine means this Prado goes hard.
It sounds fantastic and whistles like a chief being mechanically-injected, too. Other sick touch points include bronze glass that makes everything inside look sepia, interior trim that puts Cityrail to shame and the mere fact it’s only had one-owner from new.
We bought this vehicle off the original and first owners out of Gunma in Japan. It has a full Toyota service history and has never seen action off-road or seen salty roads.
It took us over 15-months to find this car, so if you’re in the market for something fun and capable of adventure – this is your time.
The car pictured – 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado RX
This Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was built in February 1999 and is an ‘RX’ trim level with turbo-diesel engine option.
That means it’s powered by a 3.0-litre ‘1KZ’ four-cylinder with with 107kW of power and 343Nm of torque. It features 4×4 with a five-speed manual transmission and low-range transfer case.
Extras on the RX model include bronze-tinted glass, dual airbags, climate control air conditioning, upmarket cloth trim and an analogue clock.
This vehicle was purchased as a one-owner car from Gunma, Japan, and comes with a full Toyota service history. On the outside, its paint is wholly original and in good condition overall.
There is minor discolouration to select silver exterior plastic parts, but overall it looks smart and wears its patina well. The interior is well above average in condition and looks fantastic.
There are no stains or marks to its trim, and the vehicle has also never been smoked in.
What made this one special
- 1999 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado RX SWB
- 219,000km
- 3.0-litre ‘1KZ’ turbo-diesel engine
- Manual transmission / 4×4
- Low range transfer case
- Factory equipment: dual airbags, Bronze glass, climate control, central locking
- Japanese de-registration paperwork and auction paperwork available
- Vehicle comes with compliance
- Vehicle comes with three months NSW registration
From the sweltering heat of infinite deserts and the depths of majestic rainforests to the traffic chaos of today's mega-cities, one four-wheel drive vehicle is capable and reliable enough to tackle the worst road nightmares... the Toyota Landcruiser.May 08, 1996, All-New Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Debuts
