Evolving an automotive icon is never easy. Heritage can make it tough on designers to modernize styling without losing key elements longtime fans expect. Then there’s the pressure of navigating shifts in corporate direction and consumer preferences, which can lead to declining sales if the wrong path is taken.
That’s sort of what happened to the U.S.-market Land Cruiser. Long known for its boxy shape, durability, and off-road capability, it was gradually transformed into a high-priced, luxurious seven-passenger SUV, losing much of its established style
