This Toyota FJ60 Concept Packs Twice The Horsepower – But That's Not The Only Upgrade

The Toyota FJ60 Concept was created for the 2025 SEMA Show, which runs from November fourth through seventh in Las Vegas. It is an interesting take on combining a classic Toyota Land Cruiser's vintage charm with a contemporary Toyota powertrain and some off-road attitude to match. According to Marty Schwerter, Director of Operations at Toyota's Motorsports Garage, "It's a hot-rod approach with Toyota DNA — power, drivability, and reliability in a package that still feels true to the original Land Cruiser."

The Toyota FJ60 Land Cruiser debuted in 1980 and ran through 1987. It was equipped with a 4.2-liter inline six that produced 135 horsepower. The FJ60 rides on leaf-spring-suspended solid axles in both front and rear, all attached to a boxed ladder frame. It came with both air conditioning and power steering, a decent level of equipment back in the day. The FJ60's boxy but modern styling has held up well over time, making it one of the best looking Toyota SUVs ever designed. Even though our market never got a diesel, FJ60s in other markets had one of the best diesel engines.

The Toyota FJ60 Concept has replaced that underpowered inline six with the latest iteration of Toyota's i-FORCE 3.4-liter twin-turbocharged V6, the same one currently used in its full-size Tundra pickup. In the FJ60 Concept, it puts out 389 horsepower, a huge increase over stock. With all that power, it still provides lower emissions, better fuel economy, quieter running, and quicker response, making the FJ60 Concept much more pleasant to drive than the original version ever was.

The Toyota FJ60 Concept uses the original factory five-speed transmission, mated to the new V6 engine using a custom-machined adapter. Other necessary upgrades included new motor mounts, a modified oil pan, and a custom exhaust system. The FJ60 Concept has been painted to match one of Toyota's period-correct FJ60 Land Cruiser colors, the Silver 167 that was used in 1986. Inside, the only change is the addition of a contemporary JBL audio system, complete with a dash-mounted touchscreen that looks somewhat out of place.

Even though the Toyota FJ60 Concept build could be considered a restomod, the Toyota team set some ground rules to guide this project — no modifications made to the vehicle's structure or firewall, with all mounting points in their original locations. This extends to the FJ60 Concept's new suspension, which adds 35-inch tires, a 1.5-inch lift, and reverses the front shackles. Theoretically, all of the changes that Toyota has made to the FJ60 Concept could be reversed, and the vehicle put back into original condition — which is highly unlikely to ever happen.

The Toyota FJ60 Concept is a technology showcase for Toyota, demonstrating how far Toyota's powertrain technology has come and the huge difference it can make in the performance of this 40-year-old SUV. The FJ60 remains an icon among Toyota vehicles, accounting for about 1-million sales during its production run in the 1980s. From restomods like this to the return of the Ram 'Dude,' SEMA has something for every car enthusiast.