The Ford F-150 is America’s greatest-advertising auto and arguably America’s signature product, alongside blue jeans, jazz, and bourbon. But it is rarer than a supercar in Europe. The Ford Mustang is a legend in The usa and part of America’s legend. But you can not obtain 1 in Japan.
Automobiles are increasingly world wide products and solutions. Automakers now structure most cars to meet security and emissions benchmarks in several nations around the world. They also design and style them to be easy to manufacture with the driving place on the still left or correct. The Mazda3 or Kia Sorento you can get in the U.S. nowadays is mainly the same a person you can invest in in Geneva and Seoul.
But that doesn’t mean our icons are the identical. Some of the signature vehicles most effective recognized in one element of the globe can be strangers in an additional.
Toyota’s Crown Jewel
Due to the fact 1955, the Toyota Crown has been the king of the hill in Japan. It is a person of the couple nameplates to survive extra than 50 several years. It is the prime of the Toyota lineup – a car or truck individuals aspire to very own. Toyota engineers throw all the things they have into designing it for the reason that the Crown is to Toyota what the Black Label is to Jack Daniels or the 501 in blue is to Levi’s.
But we never have it right here. It has echoes in the States – Corolla is Latin for “little crown.” But Toyota’s most legendary merchandise is unfamiliar listed here.
For now.
Toyota will expose an all-new Crown on Friday, and studies suggest it is coming to the U.S. We never know specifically when, but Automotive News experiences that Toyota will “begin offering a Crown sedan in the U.S. this yr.”
A Toyota spokesperson would not confirm or deny the report to us this morning, saying simply just that Toyota “can’t comment on upcoming solutions.” But the shift will make perception.
A Large-Using Massive Sedan with SUV Seasoning
Toyota declared designs to eliminate its top-of-the-line Avalon sedan from the U.S. market place just after 2022. That results in a hole the Crown could fill. The Avalon begins at $36,825, but the Crown could command a increased rate if Toyota wishes it to occupy the same aspirational place in the American head.
Right before releasing a car in Japan, automakers patent its shape. Patent photos filed with the Japanese government show that the new Crown has a smooth fastback rear. A high-riding stance offers it SUV-like floor clearance.
A teaser graphic posted to a Toyota site in Japan shows a blunt front end, facet system cladding, and a attractive deep bronze coloration.
Which is all we have to go on for now. The Crown is reportedly created on the exact platform as the Toyota Camry, Highlander, Sienna, and Lexus RX. That allows for entrance-, rear-, or all-wheel-drive setups with hybrid or conventional gasoline propulsion.
We’ll know additional Friday.