Too late for a V8? Toyota says it won't reopen LandCruiser 70 Series' order books until "at least" 2025 as V8-troubling fuel-efficiency standards loom

There's a very real chance that, if you're not in the queue already, you'll be too late for a 70 Series LandCruiser V8, with Toyota vowing to keep the order books closed until 2025 and a new Federal Government fuel-efficiency standard looming.

Speaking to CarsGuide at the prototype launch of the right-hand-drive Toyota Tundra, the brand's sales and marketing chief, Sean Hanley, said the order books for the V8-powered 70 Series wouldn't open until "at least" 2025, once every customer in the current queue has had their vehicle delivered.

It's understood around 30 percent of V8 customers have shifted their order to a four-cylinder 70 Series, and the hope is that number will increase.

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"We're at least 12 months away (from opening orders)," Mr Hanley said. "So we have a really strong order bank on this car and our commitment right now is to that existing order bank until such time as we've exhausted that there will be no opening of the orders."

Of course, "at least 12 months" suggests V8s won't be back on the menu until 2025 at the earliest, and there is another potential headwind facing the iconic engine's return.

The Albanese government had committed to beginning the process to introduce fuel efficiency standards in Australia by the end of 2023, though that timeline now looks like it will blow out to 2024

Fuel efficiency standards would seek to force carmakers to stack their fleets with low- or zero-emission vehicles, as well as the most efficient petrol and diesels, by capping brand-wide emissions, and even potentially punishing carmakers who exceed it.

Toyota's sales and marketing chief, Sean Hanley, said the order books for the V8-powered 70 Series wouldn't open until

The move would put pressure on Toyota to drop its V8 engine – especially given the brand now has a four-cylinder replacement on sale – to reduce its overall fleet emissions, though Mr Hanley said for now that is only speculative.

"I think that's speculative at the moment, so we have to watch all of that," he said .

"Our commitment right now is to try to move as many customers who wish to move to four-cylinder. It's completely optional, so we're not forcing customers, but big fleets will typically go there because of the four-cylinder, it's quite well-priced as well, and you're losing no capability and you're not compromising.

"But until we've exhausted that auto bank, we won't be opening it up."