Ramble On With This Supercharged Special Edition Land Cruiser
The beautiful 550 hp beast is an off-road triumph.
Icon founder Jonathan Ward (who promises us all-new classic Ford Broncos next year) is commemorating his boutique custom SUV company’s 100th Toyota Land Cruiser FJ build with a special edition named for the just-reopened Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
The Icon 4×4 Petersen Edition FJ44 will go on display at the California car mecca, but the L.A.-based off-road customizers would be happy to build more for those who pony up the cash. The price, depending on equipment, runs between $200,000 and $220,000, according to Ward.
Icon bolts all-new aluminum classic-style Land Cruiser bodywork to a new chassis with sturdier frame rails, coil-spring suspension, Fox racing shocks, Dana 60 rear axle and Dana 44 front axle.
What separates the Petersen Edition from lesser FJ44s is the substitution of a supercharged 550-horsepower 6.2-liter General Motors E-rod small block V8 for the naturally aspired 450-horsepower version of the engine. It also includes the optional six-piston Brembo front and four-piston rear brakes to slow all that power when needed.
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That power pushes the burly off-roader to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. Icon also developed a new radius arm front suspension for this special edition and the company says it provided huge gains in both ride and off-road performance.
Ward says he’s at war with plastic interior trim, so he’s introduced machined aluminum interior flourishes like the seat-back adjuster and parking brake handle, along with an aluminum dashboard with a custom-designed instrument panel.
The good news is that many of the changes and upgrades shown in the Petersen edition are being rolled in to the regular Icon FJ44s, so you won’t have to wait for this one to finish its six-month exhibit at the museum to enjoy the remarkable improvements.
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