Toyota Crown Has Been Around Since 1955, and It’s A Massive Part of Japanese History
Though the Toyota Crown may be new to you, it certainly isn’t new to the world. In fact, it’s actually the longest-running Toyota model throughout the company’s production history. Not only that, the Toyota Crown goes down in history as the first passenger car developed and built entirely in Japan.
Toyota Crown was a Post World War II savior
After the devastation to Japan, courtesy of World War II, the country effectively started entirely over from the ground up. As a result, many Japanese automakers outsourced production and started partnerships with European manufacturers. However, Toyota did the exact opposite. Instead, it intended solely to use internal engineering, designs, and building to ensure that Toyota vehicles were 100% Japanese from start to finish.
According to Toyota U.K. Magazine, the company rolled the first Crown off the production line the same year Doc and Marty rigged the DeLorean to return with lightning power. 1955. With a 1.5-liter engine pushing a hopping 48 horsepower through a three-speed manual transmission, it wasn’t exactly a speed demon. It was, however, the hometown hero that a post-war Japan needed.
Thanks to its dual bench seat layout, it was affordable and capable of transporting six people at a time. Little did Toyota know, though, that this car was the birth of a legacy.
There are a whopping 16 generations of the Toyota Crown
In 1962, the second generation came out. It was a pretty drastic shift in design. It was wider, lower, and a whole lot longer. In addition, some models came with rear coil spring suspension. The Crown was no longer just a commuter; it was a full-blown luxury sedan.
From there, the Crown continued to grow larger and more elegant. As Toyota became the monumental success and automotive powerhouse we know it to be today, the Crown continued to stand out as a flagship luxury model for the brand. So much so the newest version of the Toyota Crown is the sixteenth iteration of the namesake.
In addition, Crown is even its own spinoff brand for the Chinese market, much like Genesis is a spinoff brand of Hyundai here.
Though the Toyota Crown was sold in its earliest generations here in the U.S., not many were sold. So, most folks are pretty new to the namesake. Make no mistake; though, the Toyota Crown is an iconic part of Toyota history!
