The Toyota Land Cruiser 79 bakkie may be available with a hefty 4,5-litre V8 turbodiesel, but its peak outputs of 151 kW and 430 N.m aren’t exactly inspiring. Of course, there’s good reason for that (this Japanese workhorse is all about reliability, after all), but if you’re craving more oomph, local tuner RGMotorsport says it has the answer.
Yes, the Randburg-based firm has just released details of its stage three package for the big bakkie, which takes the oil-burning V8’s peaks to a more pleasing 273 kW and 913 N.m.
The conversion includes the installation of a 76 mm Techniflow exhaust system, a larger turbocharger, a bigger intercooler and an upgraded clutch assembly (which RGM says is “rated at 1 000 N.m”). Lastly, of course, the tuner adds its preferred Unichip Uni-Q engine management system, and sets up the vehicle on a dynamometer.
“I’ve come to realise that more is, indeed, more. Our 181 kW stage one and 215 kW stage two Land Cruiser V8 packages have already proved immensely popular with a clearly defined buyer, but the feedback was that they wanted extra grunt,” said Rob Green, RGMotorsport founder.
“We’ve obliged and the main difference to the stage two is a bespoke turbocharger rather than a hybridised standard one, and the inclusion of the bulletproof clutch,” he added.
The price? RGM quotes a figure of R180 700, which it says includes a six-month/20 000 km warranty. Of course, as we’re always at pains to point out in cases like this, applying such a package to your under-warranty vehicle will see said manufacturer warranty voided…
