Toyota Model BJ
The tough Toyota truck that climbed into history before the Land Cruiser name even existed.
1951 Toyota Jeep BJ · Intrnt explodr · CC BY-SA 4.0
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More than a set of wheels.
Toyota completed the first Model BJ prototype in January 1951 after a five-month rush to answer a request for a compact four-wheel-drive truck. It combined truck-derived running gear with Toyota's big Type B six-cylinder engine. The Police Reserve Force chose a Mitsubishi-built Jeep instead, but Toyota kept developing the BJ, turned it toward civilian work and began volume production in 1953.
Look a little closer.
The Land Cruiser name arrived in June 1954, three years after this first BJ prototype was completed.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Born from a five-month sprint
Toyota received the request in August 1950 and completed its quarter-ton BJ prototype in January 1951. It reused experience and suspension parts from the Model SB truck rather than starting from a blank sheet.
Source: Toyota · Development of four-wheel-drive vehicles ↗BJ first, Land Cruiser later
The vehicle was informally called a Toyota Jeep, but Jeep was a Willys-Overland trademark. Toyota used BJ and formally changed the vehicle name to Land Cruiser in June 1954.
Source: Toyota · 75 Years vehicle lineage: Land Cruiser BJ ↗Where these facts come from
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 29, 2026.