All-New Toyota Crown Royal & Athlete Launched

Toyota has launched an all-new Crown series, consist of both Crown Royal and Crown Athlete. Both version are empowered by Toyota proud new full-height grille, and they are even more imposing that the Lexus spindle opening design. Both cars are also offered in hybrid version on top of the regular gasoline-powered model.

Toyota Crown series is rear wheel drive saloon and is a flagship series for the the Toyota saloon and often offered a Lexus-level of opulence and luxurious trimmings, albeit in a more traditional Japanese way. For this generation, Toyota has lengthened the overall length by 25mm to 4,895mm while width is up by 5mm to 1,800mm. Height is 1,460mm for the Crown Royal while Crown Athlete is 10mm lower.

Both Crown Royal and Crown Athlete range start with the 4GR-FSE 2.5L V6 engine producing 203PS@6,400rpm and 243Nm@4,800rpm. This engine can be paired with either front or an all-wheel drive option, both via 6 speed automatic version. The hybrid version is powered by 2AR-FSE 2.5L gasoline in in-line four configuration. This petrol lump is paired with the electric motor, and drive is channelled to the rear wheel via a CVT. This configuration pumps out 178PS and 221Nm for the petrol while the electric motor is capable of churning 143PS and 300Nm. Crown Athlete model gets an additional engine choice in the form of 2GR-FSE 3.5L V6 producing 315PS@6,400rpm and 377Nm@4,800rpm and this flagship version drives via 8 speed automatic gearbox.

The gallery of Toyota Crown Royal and Toyota Crown Athlete can be found below, with the real-life photo courtesy of autoc-one.

Toyota Crown Athlete

Galleries continue after the jump.

Toyota Crown Athlete/Royal to adopt aggressive front grille?

Remember the X-grille intersection with headlight of the facelifted Toyota Mark X? Apparently it is not the last. While the European Toyota is adopting a beak-line nose on the Auris family, the Japan's domestic is going radical again, far more radical than the Lexus spindle's item. Below is the leaked photo of the new Toyota Crown, depicted in Royal and Athlete forms here.

As usual, the two models share the main body, differentiated by the different front and rear end styling. While Royal majors on luxury amenities, the Athlete version takes a sportier route. In this new model, the headlight differs, so is the rear bumper bumper. But the MAIN talking point will be the front grille. In either model, it is massive! I don't know what Toyota is trying to achieve here but perhaps road presence is surely one of it.

In current series, both version shares the same rear end. So in this model iteration, the rear end has been substantially redesigned compared to the current model. The rear end is kind of reminiscent of last generation Camry, but with heavy chrome touch surrounding the license plate.

Before rejoicing to call this is an all-new car, there is a possibility that is a comprehensive model update like the rehashed Lexus LS series. This is because the basic silhouette remains familiar, especially from the A-pillar to the thick C-pillar. The interior too has some current model cues. The centre console still has similar design theme, although the aircond outlet has shift from horizontal type to vertical one. Despite this, the floor/gear console looks the same. The door trim is entirely different though, with visibly thick leather upholstery and chromed panels (centre, power window switch and aircond duct). More detail after the jump.