Conquering Greece's “Cliff of Death” with the Land Cruiser Prado 125, the 2-door LX470 we didn’t get

Left: Fotis' Prado 125 sitting atop an alignment rack. This angle really exemplifies the similarities to its Lexus cousin. Right: Overlooking a ridge nicknamed Charon's Cliff within the Gramos Mountains, found in the northwestern part of Greece.

I came across these crazy photos online from Greek enthusiast Fotis Petrou and had to learn more about his Land Cruiser Prado 125, which at first glance I thought was a "chopped" Lexus GX470. I wouldn’t say I was partially right, but I was close –The 3rd generation Land Cruiser Prado that ran from 2002 to 2009 was the GX470 in the US but only could be had in a 4-door configuration and the 2UZ V8. The Prado could be had in a variety of 4- and 6-cylinder gas and diesel engines while also being available in the 3-door configuration seen here. Regardless of its name, both were body on frame with a solid rear axle and IFS. 

Fotis is a longtime automotive and off-road enthusiast from Thessaloníki, Greece, the second largest city in the country. He started with a Peugeot 307 nearly 20 years ago, and has driven a variety of sports cars and SUVs, leading up to his last two, a Prado 90 and his current Prado 125. 

His Prado 90, the 5-door 2nd generation Land Cruiser Prado that ran from 1996 to 2002, was his first serious off-road vehicle. It sat on a 2” lift and 33” BFGoodrich KM3’s M/T tires with an ARB rear locker. His current 125 takes it a step further, with 2” body and 3” Old Man Emu suspension lift, 35” tires, front & rear ARB lockers, and winches at both ends as well. He keeps going back to the Prado platform due to its combination of on- and off-road performance, still being able to keep up with traffic on highways when needed.

Fotis' previous Prado, a 2nd generation 5-door, with 7 seats.

When asked about the Greek truck & SUV scene, Fotis explains that within the last 5 years, a great community of off-roaders has started to take off. His local club, Olympus off-road club, is said to be created for four-wheel drive and nature enthusiasts with respect and love for the environment. Their travels usually partake throughout the Pieria and Olympus Mountains, the same ones from Greek Mythology in which the gods call home. Other members wheel their Jeep Wranglers, he says, while some take their BMW-powered Nissan Patrols, making an interesting mix of vehicles that I wouldn’t have guessed make up the group.

As for the landscape photos at the beginning of this entry? That would be the Gramos mountains, in the northwestern part of Greece. Densely populated with thickets of pine trees and high ridges, the tallest peak reaches nearly 8,300 ft. If that didn’t make it ominous enough, it is said it is haunted by ghosts of the Greek Civil War, who used the area for combat in the late 1940s. Fotis claims the ridge his Prado is parked on is called “Ο Γκρεμός του Χάρου” or Charon’s Cliff. In mythology, Charon is the ferryman of the dead, and his name represents a cliff so terrifying that it feels like a gateway to the underworld. 

On a lighter note, (LOL) the advice Fotis has for enthusiasts around the globe is nothing is impossible– while many online said that 35” tires wouldn’t fit, he made it happen. He looks forward to starting his 1st gen Cayenne build next and wants others to know if they have questions regarding their Land Cruiser Prado projects, to send him a message!