Photo: Toyota
Launched in 1951 as the Jeep BJ, the off-roader we know as the Land Cruiser was renamed Land Cruiser in 1954 after Willys notified the automaker of a trademark violation. The Japanese automaker’s second longest-running nameplate is Crown, introduced one year after the Land Cruiser as the Toyopet Crown. The luxury-oriented sedan also paved the way for the Century, the most luxurious vehicle in Toyota's lineup.
2022 saw the introduction of the 16th generation, a crossover-inspired sedan with a four-door fastback layout. Penned by a design team led by Mitsunori Miyazaki, this model is exclusively offered with all-wheel drive both at home and in the United States of America. Underpinned by the GA-K platform of the Highlander, the Crown replaces the Avalon full-size sedan, which had to be discontinued over dwindling sales in the U.S. of A.
Priced at $39,950 sans destination charge, the XLE comes with a 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain. The Platinum trim level is a bit pricier, but $52,350 also gets you a more potent powertrain based around a 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder lump. 340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet (542 Nm) of torque are alright for a curb weight of 4,343 pounds (1,970 kilograms), but a Japanese motoring publication understands that Toyota won’t stop at that.
Best Car understands that a high-performance variant is under development under the GR handle, which stands for Gazoo Racing. What’s that? It’s the performance and motorsport arm of Toyota, whereas TRD serves as the in-house tuning shop for Toyota and the Lexus brand.
Gazoo Racing was born in 2007 after an in-house team of test drivers wasn’t allowed to enter the 24 Hours of Nurburgring as Works Toyota Racing. Gazoo comes from the Japanese word Gazo, which translates to either picture or image. What’s more, Toyota decided on this name due to its involvement with an online used car platform by the same moniker.
The 16th generation of the Crown is expected to have three different members in 2023. The crossover-inspired sedan will be followed by a crossover-inspired wagon, and there’s also a coupe-like crossover in the offing. The latter was previewed by the Crown Sport Concept earlier this year, and the longroof will be inspired by the Crown Estate Concept.
The crossover-inspired sedan is understood to receive the GR treatment, with no information available for the upcoming siblings at press time. As per the cited publication, Toyota is likely to reveal the newcomer in the fall of 2023, most likely as a 2024 model if it will be sold in the U.S.
Similar to the HYBRID MAX powertrain of the Platinum specification, the GR Crown will use a 2.4-liter turbo assisted by front and rear electric motors. A direct-shift transmission is also featured in the Platinum, and this torque-converter auto will probably carry over to the GR Crown.
As the headline implies, 380 ps (375 horsepower) is the estimated output of the yet-to-be-confirmed GR Crown. A corner-carving suspension setup that will lower the vehicle’s ground clearance is reportedly on the menu as well, along with beefed-up brakes and strengthened chassis components.
Priced at $39,950 sans destination charge, the XLE comes with a 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain. The Platinum trim level is a bit pricier, but $52,350 also gets you a more potent powertrain based around a 2.4-liter turbo four-cylinder lump. 340 horsepower and 400 pound-feet (542 Nm) of torque are alright for a curb weight of 4,343 pounds (1,970 kilograms), but a Japanese motoring publication understands that Toyota won’t stop at that.
Best Car understands that a high-performance variant is under development under the GR handle, which stands for Gazoo Racing. What’s that? It’s the performance and motorsport arm of Toyota, whereas TRD serves as the in-house tuning shop for Toyota and the Lexus brand.
Gazoo Racing was born in 2007 after an in-house team of test drivers wasn’t allowed to enter the 24 Hours of Nurburgring as Works Toyota Racing. Gazoo comes from the Japanese word Gazo, which translates to either picture or image. What’s more, Toyota decided on this name due to its involvement with an online used car platform by the same moniker.
The 16th generation of the Crown is expected to have three different members in 2023. The crossover-inspired sedan will be followed by a crossover-inspired wagon, and there’s also a coupe-like crossover in the offing. The latter was previewed by the Crown Sport Concept earlier this year, and the longroof will be inspired by the Crown Estate Concept.
The crossover-inspired sedan is understood to receive the GR treatment, with no information available for the upcoming siblings at press time. As per the cited publication, Toyota is likely to reveal the newcomer in the fall of 2023, most likely as a 2024 model if it will be sold in the U.S.
Similar to the HYBRID MAX powertrain of the Platinum specification, the GR Crown will use a 2.4-liter turbo assisted by front and rear electric motors. A direct-shift transmission is also featured in the Platinum, and this torque-converter auto will probably carry over to the GR Crown.
As the headline implies, 380 ps (375 horsepower) is the estimated output of the yet-to-be-confirmed GR Crown. A corner-carving suspension setup that will lower the vehicle’s ground clearance is reportedly on the menu as well, along with beefed-up brakes and strengthened chassis components.
Google News