This 1988 Land Cruiser’s restoration was partly inspired by an old Porsche

This is a vintage Toyota Land Cruiser that’s been restored by an American company to pay homage to vintage Porsche design. As mashups go, it’s certainly a much cleaner and downright less offensive effort than whatever the heck this was.

It's the work of TLC4x4, who have taken their client’s 1988 FJ62 LC and inserted some subtle Porsche-inspired detailing. Before that, the less subtle bit: as is now the norm with such restorations, there’s a whopping 6.2-litre LS3 crate engine shoved inside, singing to the tune of 430bhp.

That’s paired, we’re told, to a six-speed GM transmission apparently able to provide “incredible performance and sublime levels of speed”, something nobody has ever accused the FJ62 of being capable of before.

Should sound good too, thanks to a 3in stainless steel exhaust, and should stop much better as well because it’s got big brakes and decent pads. There are new OME springs and Fox Racing dampers to improve the FJ’s off-road ability, something nobody has ever accused the FJ62 of… needing.

To the Porsche bits, then. The exterior is a special ‘Porsche-inspired’ grey, while inside the leather seats get houndstooth inserts to mimic Porsche’s own Sixties fabric design. The door panels of the FJ have have also been engineered to “recall the doors of the classic 911”. There’s subtle, and then there’s recalling-the-doors-of-a-Sixties-Porsche subtle.

Elsewhere there’s a new set of gauges and better audio inside, while outside a few choice mods help keep it fresh. Mods like new front and rear arch vents and rock sliders (the latter two designed in house by TLC4x4), new door handles and trim and rubber, a rear-view camera and 17in alloys with all-terrain tyres. To top it all off – or, erm, bottom it all off – is a fresh coat of powder along the chassis, frame and axles for better durability.

“Often, our Land Cruiser builds have fantastic stories behind them, and our newest FJ62 custom is no exception,” said TLC4x4 boss Daniel Valjevac. “The truck was commissioned by a longtime Porsche enthusiast, so that was influential throughout our design process.

“Another very cool aspect was that the Land Cruiser had to be from 1988 in tribute to the client’s wedding anniversary,” he added. A lovely car for a lovely tribute, and, once more for clarity, much better than whatever the heck this was.