Toy Box

THE LC200 IS A BIG BOX OF TRICKS AS IT COMES STRAIGHT OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T MAKE IT EVEN TOUGHER AND MORE CAPABLE USING THE BEST TOYS AVAILABLE.

- Justin Walker

Toyota’s Land Cruiser 200 Series has been around for more than a decade now, with the replacement seemingly a long way off. One reason for the delay is the simple fact that, even in the twilight of its career, the LC200 is still one of the best all-round rigs on the planet. This, of course, comes with a correspondingly steep asking price for that capability – and that is before you fit any gear to improve on near perfection. But, when you want to build the best of the best, the expense doesn’t matter. As Matt Szczesny’s gleaming white 2018 LC200 VX proves, it is the end-result – in this case one of the sweetest, smartly built LC200s in Oz we’ve seen – that counts.

A CLOSE CALL

Ironically, Matt’s uber-tough LC200 nearly didn’t happen. Matt and wife Tori were expecting their first child and needed to juggle their passion for off-roading with family-focused fun. This meant that, initially, their plans revolved around a Prado Kakadu and a ‘project car’ – in this case, either a HSV GTO or a twin turbo Supra. But then Matt hopped in a Prado for a test drive…

“I was coming out of a 3.0-litre Hilux SR5 and even that was a little bit under powered with 33s on it,” he says. “And I thought ‘God, going to a 2.8 – I don’t think I can do it!’”

Matt’s appreciation of power in a 4x4 then led him to think about a 200 Series, with an early check of the second-hand market revealing just how well these big boppers hold their price.

“A second-hand one was more than 100 grand,” he says. “I thought bugger it, I will just buy a new one.”

This decision was reinforced after Matt chatted to a mate of his who used to test the LC200 suspension setups and the vehicle’s durability.