Toyota Crown, another Asian gem we're going to miss out on in Europe

We are seeing new versions of cars that are only sold in Japan. Small gems that are made solely for the Japanese market. After seeing the spectacular Toyota Century, the Japanese manufacturer is set to launch another classic from its line-up, the Toyota Crown. Built since 1955, it has gone through 14 generations and the fifteenth is now about to go on sale.

It has been a car with a rather interesting history as a police vehicle or government car, so it can be considered a popular car in the country. This new generation promises to be the Toyota most connected in the brand’s history. The systems fitted to the new Toyota Crown are designed for safety, comfort, protection and everyday living around the clock, seven days a week.

In addition, the suspension has been modified and improved, and it is available with all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive. Although it is aimed at the Japanese market, it was developed at Nürburgring, which already speaks to an impressive driving experience. Japanese buyers will find three engine options. The first will be a rear-wheel-drive version with a 2.0-litre turbo engine delivering 241 CV and 350 Nm of torque.

The other models available will be hybrids. The first of these will have a 2.5-litre engine, which together with the electric motor produces 222 CV, in rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive versions. The top level uses the 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine producing 294 CV, combined with an electric motor of 177 CV, for a combined output of 359 CV. In this last option, however, it is only offered with rear-wheel drive.

Inside, it uses two touchscreens, one of 8 inches and one of 7, the latter positioned closer to the driver for better usability. All three versions feature Drive Mode Select, and the RS versions offer the option of a personalised combination of settings.

This new generation of the Toyota Crown features the second generation of the Toyota Safety Sense, with pedestrian detection, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, lane-keeping assistance, a road sign reader and other safety features.