Watch a Toyota Land Cruiser hit 370kmh

By, 2017-05-09

A Toyota Land Cruiser now bears the title of World's Fastest SUV after a record speed of over 370 km/h.

This world record was attained with a customised 2000hp version called the Land Speed Cruiser.

Former Toyota driver, Carl Edwards, beat the previous land speed SUV record by more than 30kmh, reaching a GPS-verified and video-documented 230.02 mph (370.181307kmh) before reaching the end of a runway at Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California, in the USA.

The Land Speed Cruiser was presented the first time at the 2016 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, starting life as a stock production model before being heavily modified by Toyota's Motorsports Technical Centre.

The World's Fastest SUV record was at 211 mph (339.572kmh). But the engineers of this monister were able to break this record, thanks to a 5.7-litre V8, a huge Garrett turbochargers, sturdier pistons and rods and a custom-made intake manifold.

Also engineers have lowered the car to reduce the amount of turbulent air allowed to pass underneath. And they narrowed 7.6 centimetres to accommodate wider Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres.

"At 225 mph, the thing was wandering a little bit. All I could think was that (test driver) Craig Stanton said, 'No matter what, just keep your foot in it,' and we got 230 mph," Edwards recounted from behind a huge grin after setting the record.

Land Speed Cruiser