5 Toyota SUVs That We Can’t Have in the States

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Land Cruiser Prado, the Toyota Fortuner, and now the new Land Cruiser 300 Series––what do these Toyota SUVs have in common? They are all Toyota SUVs that we can’t have here in the states. Here’s a look at all the awesome Toyota SUV models we are missing out on. 

Land Cruisers J70 Toyota SUVs | Edwin Remsberg / VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Toyota SUVs that we can’t have in America

Toyota Fortuner top trim, the Legenger Toyota SUV
Toyota Fortuner Legender model | Toyota Bharat
  1. Toyota Fortuner
  2. Toyota Harrier 
  3. Toyota Land Cruiser Prado
  4. Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series
  5. Toyota Land Cruiser J70

In the United States of America, we have the Toyota RAV4, the Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Sequoia, and Toyota Land Cruiser 200. But there are a few SUVs that global markets get to enjoy that are out of our reach here in the states. Sure, the 2021 Toyota 4Runner is cool. But it’s not the forbidden fruit Fortuner.

1. The Toyota Fortuner is a Toyota SUV like the 4Runner

The Toyota Fortuner is a Toyota SUV sold in global markets with seven seats. It comes in a variety of different powertrains. These include a 2.8 liter 201 hp turbodiesel engine and a 2.4 liter turbodiesel engine that produces up to 148 hp, according to Motor1. 

Toyota also just introduced the Toyota Fortuner GR Sport, inspired by Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division. This is a rear-wheel drive configuration of the Toyota Fortuner. It gets new tech like a heads-up display and cosmetic upgrades which include a two-tone interior. 

2. The Toyota Harrier is the Venza for global markets

Another Toyota SUV that we don’t see here in the U.S. is the Toyota Harrier. But what is it? It once shared most of its components with the Lexus RX.

The new Harrier that debuted in 2020 is nearly identical to the new Toyota Venza that debuted in the U.S. last year. Both of these SUVs, like the others we will see on this list, can’t enter the North American market due to ever-tightening emissions restrictions. 

3. The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is a truly rugged Lexus GX

The Toyota Land Cruiser Prado has been around in other parts of the world since 1990. It offers both diesel and gas powertrains. Over the years, we’ve seen both three-door and five-door versions of the Prado, and today it remains true to its core value of being a highly capable, reliable off-road SUV.

The Lexus GX is the closest Toyota SUV to the Land Cruiser Prado that we get here in the states, as it’s virtually the same model with Lexus appointments. However, the Lexus GX features a V8 gasoline engine. Although some fans may wish for a little more Prado in the Lexus GX, we don’t expect to see a diesel GX anytime soon. 

4. The Land Cruiser J70 is easily the most iconic off-road Toyota SUV ever made

The Toyota Land Cruiser J70 is just ridiculously awesome. Fans of off-roading and pure Toyota SUV simplicity have long wished for the J70 to come stateside, though it’s not likely that we will ever see it happen. The Toyota Land Cruiser J70 has been virtually the same since the 1980s.

Due to the fact that it’s one of the most capable vehicles on earthly roads, it’s gained a massive following. Furthermore, the J70 keeps not only its rugged roots but also an appealing throwback exterior style. It’s a perfect embodiment of the timeless phrase, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” 

5. The all-new Land Cruiser 300 Series

The Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series just released in global markets as well. Our stateside Land Cruiser legacy ends with the 2021 Land Cruiser 200 Series. So all we will get of the Land Cruiser 300 are promotional movies and YouTube videos. 

The new Toyota Land Cruiser 300 Series concentrates on fixing the problems of the J200 by fitting over an entirely new platform. From the frame to the tech, it’s a new beast. However, it did take cues from the fan-favorite 80 Series Land Cruiser. In fact, the new model includes plenty of trickle-down engineering from its legendary predecessors. But it also propels the new model into the future with reportedly smoother on-road performance, tighter handling, and a rumored hybrid model on the horizon.

The forbidden fruit of the Toyota SUV lineup

a Land Cruiser Prado in a modern driveway
2021 Land Cruiser Prado Toyota SUV | Toyota Global

Of course, we appreciate our Toyota Highlanders and Toyota Sequoias here in the U.S. However, that doesn’t mean we don’t turn a little bit green watching off-road reels of folks in Australia rock crawling in a Toyota Land Cruiser J70. Novelty SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and Toyota Sienta are fun to look at from afar.

But unless we take a trip abroad, it’s not likely we will get to test any of these Toyota SUV models on North American roads. Because these models are reserved for markets like South Africa, Colombia, India, and Japan, we will have to travel outside of the USA to get behind the wheel.

RELATED: The Best Used Lexus SUVs According to Consumer Reports

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Who Is Sophia Floersch?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Sophia Floersch is one of the most promising up-and-comers in motorsports. She began racing karts at just four years old and has been breaking records ever since. So far, her career has been a showcase of talent and hard work and, after tragedy struck, an awe-inspiring comeback. Read on to find how Who Sophia Floersch is. 

Who Is Sophia Floersch?

Sophia Floersch | Photo by Joe Portlock – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

Sophia Floersch (born in 2000) is a talented driver who has been racing karts, Grand Prix cars, and endurance cars for years. Floersch (often written Flörsch) began kart racing in 2005. Flörsch was the youngest driver competing in three separate championships between 2008 and 2010. For this reason, Redbull scouted her early. 

When Floersch graduated to the full-sized cars of the Ginetta Junior circuit in 2015, she became the youngest driver to win a race, winning two and placing in two more in her first year. In 2016, Flörsch graduated to Formula 4, improving her standings dramatically over two years. In 2018, Flörsch graduated to Formula 3 and was selected to race in the Macau Grand Prix. Bad luck in Macau would soon have the world asking, “Who is Sophia Floersch?”

A Flying Crash During the 2018 Macau Grand Prix

Who is Sophia Floersch? SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA - JULY 03: Sophia Floersch of Germany and Campos Racing prepares for practice for the Formula 3 Championship at Red Bull Ring on July 03, 2020 in Spielberg, Austria. (Photo by Joe Portlock - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Sophia Floersch, Formula 3 Championship | Photo by Joe Portlock

During the Grand Prix, Floersch was accelerating down a straightaway when a flagman accidentally showed a yellow flag. The driver in front of Floersch–Jehan Daruvala–likely hit his brakes, and Floersch rear-ended his car. The impact broke the front suspension on the left side of Fleorsch’s car, and she spun out of control. Floersch’s car flew backward off the track, fully airborne, at 171.6 mph. She smashed through a fence and a stand of corner photographers.

In the end, Floersch suffered multiple spinal fractures. She endured a grueling, 10-hour surgery. She set up an aggressive physical therapy schedule and insisted upon returning to race the following season. Floersch raced in Formula 3 again, even returning to the Macau Grand Prix.

Sophia Floersch Criticized The W Series

Who is Sophia Floersch? BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 17: Laureus World Comeback of the Year award winner German racing driver Sophia Floersch speaks on stage during the 2020 Laureus World Sports Awards at Verti Music Hall on February 17, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Laureus)
Sophia Floersch wins Comeback of the Year | Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for Laureus

Women have been competing in Grand Prix racing since the 1950s. Yet a recent study confirmed that women in motorsports still face rampant discrimination and sexism.

While Floersch has set several historic firsts for female race car drivers, if you ask her, “Who is Sophia Floersch? she will not say “A female race car driver.” She prefers to be classified simply as a race car driver. 

Floersch told ABC News, “There is no difference between women and men in the cars…maybe outside I am a different type, but in the car, no one cares, and everyone is a driver, and everyone is fighting to win.” 

Floersch criticized the W Series–the women’s Formula 3 championship–as a “step back on a sporting level” that is “not the way to help women in motorsport.” 

Tackling A New Sport

Who is Sophia Floersch? SPA, BELGIUM - 29 APRIL: The #01 Richard Mille Racing Team Oreca 07 - Gibson of Tatiana Calderon, Sophia Floersch, and Beitske Visser in action during practice for the opening round of the World Endurance Championship on April 29, 2021 at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. (Photo by James Moy Photography/Getty Images)
Sophia Floersch’s #1 endurace car | Photo by James Moy Photography/Getty Images

In 2020, Floersch competed in her first season of endurance racing. She entered the 2020 Le Mans as a driver for the Richard Mille Racing Team in the LMP2 class. Floersch was instrumental in steering her team to a 9th place finish in their class. 

In 2021, Floersch returned to Le Mans, once again at the wheel for the Richard Mille Racing Team. During the race, it began to rain. While many of the drivers still raced on slick dry-weather tires, several LMP2 cars crashed into one another. This road race course features several harrowing S-curves. As the pack entered the “Porsche curves,” Franco Colapinto lost control and ran into Floersch. Her car spun in a circle and slammed into the wall.

Floersch attempted to back her car off the track. But before she could get clear, another racer came up behind her and smashed into her. According to the Le Mans concussion protocol, after an impact of that magnitude, Floersch had to leave the race for a medical checkup. This is a smart policy on one of the deadliest racing circuits in the world, but Floersch was reluctant to quit.

Sophia Floersch is a Rising Star of Motorsports

Who is Sophia Floersch? BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 14: Sophia Floersch of Germany and Campos Racing looks on from the pit wall during qualifying for the Formula 3 Championship at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on August 14, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Dan Istitene - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Sophia Floersch | Photo by Dan Istitene – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images

During her ABC interview, Sophia Floersch said it is her lifelong dream to compete in Formula 1. Perhaps we will see her behind the wheel of an F1 car someday soon. Or maybe she has caught the endurance racing bug, and we will see her atop the Le Mans podium. Her short career has shown she has the talent and grit to succeed in multiple motorsports. So if someone asks you, “Who is Sophia Floersch?” you can tell them she is one of the brightest rising stars of motorsports.

RELATED: The Nürburgring Queen, Sabine Schmitz, Has Passed Away

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Disney World’s Kitschy Amphicars Are a Dying Breed

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Disney World is famous for experiences that seem too magical to be true. From immersive rides to beloved characters, it’s a place where dreams (and sometimes nightmares) come true. But one attraction has flown under the radar, and many people don’t even know it exists. In a state like Florida, which sits barely above sea level, it’s no surprise that a Disney establishment has sought to treat visitors to a unique experience in a fleet of amphibious cars, aka Amphicars.

Taking a dip at Disney Springs

An Amphicar ready to launch outside the Boathouse at Disney Springs | Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images

With the unusual claim as “the fastest car in the water and the fastest boat on the highway,” the Amphicar has become one of the most entertaining ways to experience Disney Springs. These amphibious cars are also known as 770s, boasting a top speed of 7 mph in the water and 70 mph on land, Mouse Planet reports. “The car of the future is here today,” advertisements read. “The sportscar that swims.”

Post-World War II was a unique time in the United States. Industry was booming, Americans were adopting automobiles en masse, and manufacturers were beginning to take risks. It’s easy to look back 60 years later and say no one would want a car that could drive in water, but the late 1950s and early ’60s were a brave new world.

The Quandt Group, which once co-owned BMW, produced 3,878 Amphicars in Europe through the decade. Of those, 3,046 ended up imported to the States.

The Amphicar isn’t getting any younger

Sure, the Amphicar could swim, but that wasn’t what people wanted. The price was in line with what a new car would cost. About $3,000 in 1960 dollars is roughly 10 times that in 2021 due to inflation. But most people didn’t need a car they can drive on a lake; they wanted something reliable for the road.

Unsurprisingly, the Amphicar’s demise came quickly as sales tumbled. Because EPA and Department of Transportation safety regulations restricted sales to the United States, the cost of modifying Amphicars to meet U.S. guidelines was too high.

Today, only about 400 are left globally, and the Boathouse at Disney Springs is where they’re most famous. Though the Amphicar was initially designed for water, it wasn’t meant to be a tourist attraction with dozens of rides per day.

According to Mouse Planet, workers performed $65,000 to $75,000 worth of retrofitting on each Amphicar to make it reliable in the water. Many things can go wrong when a car only travels on land; it’s no surprise that taking it into the water introduces many potential complications. If you’re in the market for an Amphicar, auctions are tracked at Classic Driver.

About Amphicar tours at Disney Springs

The Boathouse is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and Amphicar tours begin an hour earlier, at 10 a.m. The price is high (though perhaps not for Disney) at $125 per ride, but it can be discounted for guests dining at the Boathouse’s restaurant or visiting the gift shop, unsurprisingly named the Boatique.

Lasting about 25 minutes, tours ferry guests around the central lake at Disney Springs for unique views of the outdoor dining, shopping, and entertainment complex and interesting information about the Amphicars. Up to four guests can ride in each car, and the sight of the captain turning the wheel to float through the water is likely to instill a magical feeling in even the most jaded cynic.

RELATED: Some Disney Magic Can’t Hurt the 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV’s Release

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Audi RS e-tron GT vs Mercedes-AMG E 63 S Drag Race

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Today we are bringing you another EV vs. combustion engine drag race courtesy of the carwow YouTube channel. The last time we saw a race like this was a Tesla Model 3 against a Mercedes AMG CLA. We could tell you the results, but we think you will have much more fun if you watch for yourself. Trust us when we say that it is an entertaining match-up.

This race features another combustion engine-powered car from Mercedes-AMG, but it is the new E 63 S sedan. The brand new Audi RS e-tron GT is on the EV side, which looks subtle but packs a punch. Which one of these cars will win the bragging rights in this drag strip face-off?

Audi RS e-tron GT

Audi RS e-tron GT | Audi

As previously mentioned, the electric vehicle du jour is the brand new Audi RS e-tron GT. The Audi RS e-tron GT is built on the same platform as the Porsche Taycan, so the dimensions and layout are similar. However, the Audi RS e-tron GT has much more subdued styling. The GT’s design language is similar to the Audi R8, which is why it may look familiar.

The “RS” version of the e-tron produces a “net” 590 horsepower but can push out up to 637 horsepower from its electric motors in an “overboost” launch mode. The RS e-tron GT is also packing 612 ft-lbs of torque. Altogether, the RS e-tron GT can get from 0- 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. That is a lot of “get up and go” in one electric vehicle.

Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 

2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S sedan parked on an open air strip.
2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S | Mercedes Benz

In the other lane of this battle is the 2021 Mercedes-AMG E 63 S sedan. The E 63 S is the highest performance version of an E-class that consumers can currently buy right now. Next to a “regular” E-class, not a whole lot sets the AMG variant apart externally speaking. However, keen eyes will notice subtle differences like the wheels, the carbon fiber front spoiler, the rear spoiler, and the decorative carbon fiber pieces on the fenders.

Unlike the Audi RS e-tron GT, the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S is powered by that sweet, sweet dinosaur juice. Under the E 63’s hood is a 4.0 liter, twin-turbo V8 engine that makes 612 horsepower and 626 ft-lbs of torque. That figure puts the AMG above the Audi GT’s “regular” power but below its “overboost” power. The AMG sends its horses and torque to all four wheels just like the Audi. Mercedes-AMG claims the E 63 S can get to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds which is slightly slower than the Audi. However, the AMG might have the edge towards the second half of the race.

Audi RS e-tron GT vs. Mercedes-AMG E 63 S: who wins?

Now that we officially have the tale of the tape on both competitors, now would be the time to make predictions. The spec sheet favors the Audi RS e-tron GT, but specs do not always translate 100% in real-world situations. There is a chance that the Mercedes-AMG E 63 S may have a surprise or two for the Audi in the match-up. Though, we watched the video before writing this, so we already know what happens. We will not spoil the ending, but you will want to watch this race for yourself. It was a thoroughly enjoyable race to behold.

RELATED: Tesla Model S Plaid vs Rimac Nevera Drag Race

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