[1/2] Toyota Motor Corp.'s new Land Cruiser is pictured at its unveiling event in Tokyo, Japan August 2, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo via REUTERSCompanies Toyota Motor Corp FollowTOKYO, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Toyota (7203.T) on Wednesday unveiled the first hybrid version of its Land Cruiser that it will bring to North America and other key markets as it seeks to put a high-margin and iconic sports utility vehicle back on the map. Land Cruiser models are relatively big cars that come with a higher profitability for Toyota, just as is the case for some other models such as its Alphard van, said Seiji Sugiura, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Institute. The new Land Cruiser will become available in Japan in the first half of 2024, and come to the United States in the spring of that year, Toyota said, adding that suggested retail pricing in the United States will start in the mid-$50,000 range. Toyota said it will offer gasoline and diesel-powered versions of the new Land Cruiser in markets such as Western and Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and also bring a smaller Land Cruiser version to Japan in the winter. The Land Cruiser and the Lexus LX and GX, which are luxury SUVs, have together sold 11.3 million units as of the end of last month, Toyota said.

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Persons: Hiroki Nakajima, Seiji Sugiura, Sugiura, Daniel Leussink, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Toyota Motor Corp, Kyodo, REUTERS Companies Toyota Motor Corp, Toyota, Wednesday, Cruiser, North, Cruisers, Tokai Tokyo Research Institute, Lexus, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, North America, United States, Eastern Europe