Toyota Crown concept revealed in Tokyo
The Toyota Crown concept has been revealed for this year's Tokyo motor show, previewing the company's next-generation flagship luxury sedan.
Continuing a legacy started in 1955, the Crown concept is based on the GA-L version of Toyota's New Global Architecture (TNGA), with a focus on driver engagement and stability.
There aren't a heap of details available at this point, but Toyota has confirmed the production version will feature Data Communication Modules (DCM) to collect information and contribute to the Internet of Things (IoT), along with the ITS Connect services that debuted in the 2015 version - including vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) systems.
With these new connected information technologies, the Toyota Crown can receive and share information about traffic signals and other connected vehicles on the move. Toyota has participated in public and private demonstration experiments for connected cars, and says it has contributed to the early development of the technology.
At 4910mm long, 1800mm wide, 1455mm tall and with a 2920mm wheelbase, the Toyota Crown concept is 50mm longer, 15mm taller but 39mm skinnier than the new-generation Camry. However, the Crown's wheelbase is nearly 100mm longer than its globally-distributed cousin.
The production version of the Toyota Crown concept is set to be released in the Japanese summer of next year, which points to a June launch in its home market.
Australia
As with previous iterations, don't expect to see the new Crown in Australia anytime soon as it's generally reserved for the Japanese and Chinese markets.