Perfected FJ

More reboot than restoration, Icon’s latest take on Toyota’s rugged FJ40 Land Cruiser is a prime example of founder Jonathan Ward’s obsession with perfection. The newest model, the FJ44 is what you’d get if Land Rover had continued developing the FJ40 after Toyota pulled up stakes in 1984. Every aspect has been improved, from the thick, box-section frame, to the GM 5.7-liter V8, to the meticulous interior details (machined aluminum dash knobs and even heated seats) and a body stamped out of aluminum so it won’t rust. It drives more precisely thatn its utilitarian design suggests, thanks to four-link coil-spring suspension, and the thick cloth top does an admirable job of quelling road noise. Forget the creature comforts, the mechanical click of the gearshift, and the woven Chilewich carpet, and you’re left with a beastly off-roader. The Atlas transfer case and ARB locking diffs permit manual control of torque distribution, and there are tractor-like approach and departure angles. Who’s game for a road trip up Kilimanjaro? We can only hope the affluent buyers (it starts at $150,000) won’t be shy about soiling this off-road tribute.

Written by Larry Webster