300 series rumors???

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Article states the LX570 will be replaced with a 3 row unibody LQ? So the 300 may not be available as a Lexus in the US either? Any other reports or insight on this? I assumed the 300 would live on in the US in Lexus form...this doesn’t sound good.
 
Article states the LX570 will be replaced with a 3 row unibody LQ? So the 300 may not be available as a Lexus in the US either? Any other reports or insight on this? I assumed the 300 would live on in the US in Lexus form...this doesn’t sound good.

looks like the sequoia is your new land cruiser
 
looks like the sequoia is your new land cruiser
I personally like the looks of the 2004 Sequoia. Similar size and kinda looks like a Land Cruiser

*ducks*
 
I personally like the looks of the 2004 Sequoia. Similar size and kinda looks like a Land Cruiser

*ducks*

First gen was okay but man that 2nd gen is horrendous. It's round and looks like a Previa. And the Army Green TRD Pro version just looks like a Giant Green Egg moving down the road :D
 
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Article states the LX570 will be replaced with a 3 row unibody LQ? So the 300 may not be available as a Lexus in the US either? Any other reports or insight on this? I assumed the 300 would live on in the US in Lexus form...this doesn’t sound good.

Lexus dealers wanted a full size 18' people mover like an escalade. And there isn't really room for both in the Lexus lineup. So I'd guess that's correct. Sequoia is the new LX base vehicle. Will probably sell a lot better. I'm curious where the GX lands and if it goes away too.
 
Isn’t it more about how they’re made and the quality and the construction and build versus what they look like?

Sure but the Sequoia isn't exactly an off-roaders or overlanders first choice. Piss poor aftermarket support, horrible approach and departure angles, independent rear axles, extremely outdated and depressing interior, and yes it's ugly as sin. It has the 5.7L V8 and that's about it. I would expect it to be reliable since it's a 12 year old design. Nothing else about it makes it competitive or desirable compared to the current Land Cruiser or other offerings. Toyota is going to have to do a major overhaul and give it the off-road goods if they want the Sequoia to take over the LC's role in the US market.
 
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Sure but the Sequoia isn't exactly an off-roaders or overlanders first choice. Piss poor aftermarket support, horrible approach and departure angles, independent rear axles, extremely outdated and depressing interior, and yes it's ugly as sin. It has the 5.7L V8 and that's about it. I would expect it to be reliable since it's a 12 year old design. Nothing else about it makes it competitive or desirable compared to the current Land Cruiser or other offerings. Toyota is going to have to do a major overhaul and give it the off-road goods if they want the Sequoia to take over the LC's role in the US market.


How many LXs do you see out on the trails? The LX isn't exactly optimized for life in the dirt or marketed to buyers as such even if it does happen to have the underpinnings for it. The 2 people I personally know who own LX570s are both women over 60. I doubt either of them has ever put them in low range. The Sequoia is probably more offroad capable than it needs to be to underpin the next LX for most of the current demographic of buyers.
 
First gen was okay but man that 2nd gen is horrendous. It's round and looks like a Previa. And the Army Green TRD Pro version just looks like a Giant Green Egg moving down the road :D
Yeah, but can it smoke a mean brisket?
 
How many LXs do you see out on the trails? The LX isn't exactly optimized for life in the dirt or marketed to buyers as such even if it does happen to have the underpinnings for it. The 2 people I personally know who own LX570s are both women over 60. I doubt either of them has ever put them in low range. The Sequoia is probably more offroad capable than it needs to be to underpin the next LX for most of the current demographic of buyers.

Personally never. However it's a growing platform and people are starting to see that. Used ones are coming down in price and it's becoming a more reasonable platform given the price of used LC200's. The aftermarket support is growing and shares many things with LC200 parts. Same thing is happening with the GX's. People are looking towards Lexus as a legit platform. Right now I could get a completely built out LX570 with parts from Slee, Dissent, Trail Tailor, CBI. The only thing lacking is a full suspension replacement due to AHC. Not sure the same can be said for a Sequoia. There are a few fledgling fabricators doing Sequoia stuff but a lot of times it requires a Tundra conversion. The LX Picture Thread on this forum is enough for me to believe the LX makes a fantastic vehicle for off-roading/overlanding. There's more action shots there than I've ever seen from a Sequoia forum or thread. I'm not saying that this gen doesn't make a good platform but given the choice, I think Mudders would pick an LX570 over 2nd gen Sequoia any day of the week. A next gen Sequoia could be a good replacement but it's going to need a lot of changes to be a worthy successor.
 
Personally never. However it's a growing platform and people are starting to see that. Used ones are coming down in price and it's becoming a more reasonable platform given the price of used LC200's. The aftermarket support is growing and shares many things with LC200 parts. Same thing is happening with the GX's. People are looking towards Lexus as a legit platform. Right now I could get a completely built out LX570 with parts from Slee, Dissent, Trail Tailor, CBI. The only thing lacking is a full suspension replacement due to AHC. Not sure the same can be said for a Sequoia. There are a few fledgling fabricators doing Sequoia stuff but a lot of times it requires a Tundra conversion. The LX Picture Thread on this forum is enough for me to believe the LX makes a fantastic vehicle for off-roading/overlanding. There's more action shots there than I've ever seen from a Sequoia forum or thread. I'm not saying that this gen doesn't make a good platform but given the choice, I think Mudders would pick an LX570 over 2nd gen Sequoia any day of the week. A next gen Sequoia could be a good replacement but it's going to need a lot of changes to be a worthy successor.

I agree that it's a great base vehicle. It is a Land cruiser after all. But I think that really only applies to the second or third owner. The new LX buyers Lexus is concerned about in the USA market wouldn't know the difference between a Land cruiser and Sequoia underneath. And the marketing kinda tells that story. They've gone to great lengths to make an off road platform look and drive like a crossover. And Toyota didn't take an LX to the Rubicon or baja or mint 400 like it did the various trd pro models of Toyota. Even if we know it could, I don't think it sells many units. Lexus dressed the lx up for softroading and sent it to a $13k entry fee luxury woman's scavenger hunt in california. A Sequoia would have been perfectly fine for that task. So would a rav4.

Assuming the LC 300 and Sequoia merge platforms anyway, maybe the only difference is in the next generation is wheel base? It's probably the last generation for both models. In another 15-20 years when Toyota gets off it's ass to finally do anything again it'll probably be too discontinue the last BOF models.
 
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I agree that it's a great base vehicle. It is a Land cruiser after all. But I think that really only applies to the second or third owner. The buyers Lexus is concerned about in the USA market wouldn't know the difference between a Land cruiser and Sequoia underneath. And the marketing is kinda tells that story. Toyota didn't take a Lexus to the Rubicon or baja like it did the various trd pro models of Toyota. Even if we know it could, I don't think it sells many units. Lecxus dressed the lx up for softroading and sent it to a $13k entry fee luxury woman's scavenger hunt in california. A Sequoia would have been perfectly fine for that task. So would a rav4.

Assuming the LC 300 and Sequoia merge platforms anyway, maybe the only difference is in the next generation is wheel base? It's probably the last generation anyway for both models. In another 15-20 years when Toyota gets off it's ass to finally do anything again it'll probably be too discontinue the last BOF models.
Why do you think the LC300 and Sequoia will merge platforms? That seems unlikely to me. New Sequoia will remain on the Tundra platform, made in USA. The articles from Japan (which may not be accurate) claim LC300 remains on the existing LC200 frame. LC’s have had the same 112” wheelbase since the 60 series, I doubt that will change.

I hope the Sequoia will remain BOF and not a stripped down unibody Lexus LQ.

I agree that using the LC as a base for a luxury Lexus has always been odd. It won’t surprise me if the GX goes away as well at some point. I hope I’m wrong
 
Why do you think the LC300 and Sequoia will merge platforms? That seems unlikely to me. New Sequoia will remain on the Tundra platform, made in USA. The articles from Japan (which may not be accurate) claim LC300 remains on the existing LC200 frame. LC’s have had the same 112” wheelbase since the 60 series, I doubt that will change.

I hope the Sequoia will remain BOF and not a stripped down unibody Lexus LQ.

I agree that using the LC as a base for a luxury Lexus has always been odd. It won’t surprise me if the GX goes away as well at some point. I hope I’m wrong

And single platform is more efficient to manufacture was why is guess they're merging platforms. If everything from Fortuner to tundra are going to share platforms, seems like the lc300 would also be moved to the new platform. Isn't the current Sequoia already based on the lc200 frame?

If the new 4runner goes up to a 112" wheel base, where does that leave the lc300? The 4r is already 110" and grows about 3-4" per generation. I had kinda assumed the lc300 would also get a little bigger. The overhangs are getting a big as it is. I don't think you can add much size without more wheel base.
 
And single platform is more efficient to manufacture was why is guess they're merging platforms. If everything from Fortuner to tundra are going to share platforms, seems like the lc300 would also be moved to the new platform. Isn't the current Sequoia already based on the lc200 frame?

If the new 4runner goes up to a 112" wheel base, where does that leave the lc300? The 4r is already 110" and grows about 3-4" per generation. I had kinda assumed the lc300 would also get a little bigger. The overhangs are getting a big as it is. I don't think you can add much size without more wheel base.
Current Sequoia is based on the Tundra frame. LC200 frame is shorter, stiffer and heavier built than the Tundra frame. I believe Sequoia and Tundra are exclusively built in USA. I’m thinking (and hoping) Sequoia gets a new powertrain and interior & exterior facelift, but keeps the BOF and the 4WD system of the current model. As dated as Sequoia is, it was ahead of the competition in IRS and a fold flat third row, which GM and Ford only recently adopted. Those features aren’t what off road guys want but that’s not the target market.

it’s my guess that 4runner will be the only live rear axle SUV Toyota offers in the USA after the next product cycle. It also seems that LC300 will keep its unique high tensile frame and 112” wheelbase, but won’t be offered in North America under any nameplate.
 
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And single platform is more efficient to manufacture was why is guess they're merging platforms. If everything from Fortuner to tundra are going to share platforms, seems like the lc300 would also be moved to the new platform. Isn't the current Sequoia already based on the lc200 frame?

If the new 4runner goes up to a 112" wheel base, where does that leave the lc300? The 4r is already 110" and grows about 3-4" per generation. I had kinda assumed the lc300 would also get a little bigger. The overhangs are getting a big as it is. I don't think you can add much size without more wheel base.

If a 6th gen 4R grows another 3-4" I think it could be a suitable LC replacement in terms of off-road ability and family size. One of the big complaints people have going from 4R to LC is just how much smaller the 4R seems in terms of interior space and comfort. Obviously being on mud I don't think many would accept a 4R taking its place but I feel a larger 4Runner with a solid rear axle and hopefully locking rear diff would be more appealing than a grotesquely large Sequoia with independent rear axles and LSD. I feel more hopeful about the 6th gen 4R than I do the 3rd gen Sequoia. TBH though I feel less and less confident in Toyota as a whole the more information we get leaking out.
 
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Current Sequoia is based on the Tundra frame. LC200 frame is shorter, stiffer and heavier built than the Tundra frame. I believe Sequoia and Tundra are exclusively built in USA. I’m thinking (and hoping) Sequoia gets a new powertrain and interior & exterior facelift, but keeps the BOF and the 4WD system of the current model. As dated as Sequoia is, it was ahead of the competition in IRS and a fold flat third row, which GM and Ford only recently adopted. Those features aren’t what off road guys want but that’s not the target market.

it’s my guess that 4runner will be the only live rear axle SUV Toyota offers in the USA after the next product cycle. It also seems that LC300 will keep its unique high tensile frame and 112” wheelbase, but won’t be offered in North America under any nameplate.

I think the Tundra frame is a heavier (at least physically - it weighs more). It's longer and needs to be thicker as a c channel. It's probably not as strong, but I really don't know about that. It has a higher load capacity. If someone wanted to measure the profile height and width and metal thickness we could actually calculate which one is stronger. My guess is that the Tundra wins. But it would be interesting to do. Sequoia is fully boxed just like the LC200 and has the same 9 cross members. They look almost identical on paper. Which would make sense as they're probably designed by the same people for very similar vehicles.

The LC300 might keep the same old LC200 frame. It would probably be a little behind the times if it doesn't get updated with the rest of the fleet of BOF models. High tensile strength steel isn't unique to the LC200 though. It's pretty universally used in almost every current truck and SUV frame. The lc200 frame is basically identical to the 4Runner in materials used, just sized up. The new Tacoma uses more high strength steel and some metals that are another level of ultra high strength than what's in the LC200. So I'd expect that all of the new BOF platform will either go aluminum or all HSS or UHSS. That's kinda the minimum industry standard at this point.
 
If a 6th gen 4R grows another 3-4" I think it could be a suitable LC replacement in terms of off-road ability and family size. One of the big complaints people have going from 4R to LC is just how much smaller the 4R seems in terms of interior space and comfort. Obviously being on mud I don't think many would accept a 4R taking its place but I feel a larger 4Runner with a solid rear axle and hopefully locking rear diff would be more appealing than a grotesquely large Sequoia with independent rear axles with LSD. I feel more hopeful about the 6th gen 4R than I do the 3rd gen Sequoia. TBH though I feel less and less confident in Toyota as a whole the more information we get leaking out.

It looks like the 4R is going to have to be the LC replacement at this point with the LC200 being dropped and LC300 looking less likely to come to north america in any form. They've kind of been on a crash course for a while as the LC stays about the same and the 4Runner gets bigger and bigger. But now there's no small BOF SUV anymore where the 4Runner used to live. And I think there's a market for one.

A Highlander already has a longer wheel base than an LC200. It may be the closest replacement for interior size if you don't need to tow or go off road?
 

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