Just got back from Australia. It must have the highest per capita number of Land Cruisers in the world. Everywhere. Mostly diesel, which I can understand since fuel costs are higher there and diesels are generally more fuel efficient. However, in the hundreds of LC's I saw there, none had a tailgate, all had hinged doors with left door narrower than right door. I'd never seen a LC in the US with hinged doors (apart from the old 40 Series). Every US Landcruiser has a tailgate. Why? Just because you can put a rear wiper on a tailgate window? Suburbans have offered tailgates or doors for decades. Why does Toyota just offer one version in each country?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Don't you know if you bag a croc you need to leave one door open to take it home.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Was that the only thing you noticed about them? The US version of anything automotive is usually more luxuriously equipped than it's overseas counterpart. Those doors are "manual" and that's all they think the Aussies need. It's not like there's any real competition and all those luxury items on US versions are likely too expensive for the non US market.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

I didn't see inside them but I was told they are all manual transmissions. There are huge numbers of 70 series LC's there which were never imported into the USA. Still being sold. $75k for a new one so they are definitely not 'affordable'. We camped in a pop-top 90's 70
Series Troop Carrier. 6 cyl NA diesel 5spd. Nice truck.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Noticed the two vertical rear doors of different widths. Seem to be the convention in the pacific market with a lot of brands.

The wider door sometimes has the spare doesn't it?

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yes

There has to be some utility to this configuration. Can't quite figure it out yet.

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You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Better access in tight quarters perhaps? Use the small door if there isn't room to swing the large one? Or perhaps some arcane gov ref that requires a larger window on the drivers side of the vehicle?

X2, and I doubt the first self driving car on the market will go there.

Well if you have something smaller to put into the back. It makes it easier.

Another thought is if you had two doors that were equal in width. There would be times that you might have to open both for an item to remove or place inside. Where neither of the doors was quite wide enough.

Actually different width doors seem quite workable and I wonder why not present in our market? I again see they are on many brands with them sold in the pacific region. From an engineering perspective if the wider door latches top and bottom well. It provides a better body brace than a narrow door as well.

I think the original Isuzu Trooper was the only such vehicle offered in the US with that rear-door setup.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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DrDKW

Yep and it has the same configuration in Australia. I saw some. Nissan Patrol is also the same.
What are the general advantages/disadvantages of both rear door styles? I know as a canoeist who gets changed at the take out after a day of paddling, that a tailgate is more comfortable to sit on than the back of a van with a bumper under your legs. You can also cook on a tailgate. Tailgate would have been dysfunctional in the camper conversion on the Troop Carrier we used in Australia. Easier to get in and out of doors. But it had hinged drop down shelves inside the doors for use for cooking.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

We had about seven suburbans over the years towing our camper trailers. The tailgate is a stretch to load things across so the barn doors are much better imho for that use. We had one sub with a tailgate and never again.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I'd like to have a ute, if I could get one here:

deadspin-quote-carrot-aligned-w-bgr-2