FULL MODEL CHANGES FOR TOYOTA CROWN SERIES

Toyota City―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION has announced major model changes for its luxury car, the Crown. The new Crown will be marketed nationwide from October 28. Sales are expected to reach 17,000 units a month.

The redesigned model carries on the Crown tradition, and aims to be Japan's standard prestige saloon car.

Distinctive Features

1. Hardtop (Royal Series)
   1. Exterior
      The Crown Majesta and Crown 4-Door Hardtop have different body types to satisfy diverse customer needs. The Crown Majesta creates an impression of powerful substance while the Crown 4-Door Hardtop expresses refined elegance.
      Both the Majesta and 4-Door Hardtop however, carry on the Crown tradition of dignity and stateliness while adding spacious, refined styling conducive to air flow around the body.
   2. Engine and Drive Train
      The engine line-up consists of four types of engines. The Majesta comes with the 4-liter V-8 1UZ-FE (maximum output: 260ps/5,400rpm) while the 2.5-liter in-line 6-cylinder 1JZ-GE (maximum output: 180ps/6,000rpm) is available for the Crown 4-Door Hardtop. Offered on both models is the new 3-liter inline 6-cylinder 2JZ-GF Model (maximum output: 230ps/6,000rpm) for excellent performance and fuel economy, as well as superb quietness. All are twin-cam engines.
      Moreover, the popular 2.4-liter in-line 4-cylinder diesel turbo 2L-THE (maximum output: 100ps/3,800rpm) for the Crown 4-Door Hardtop remains part of the Crown tradition.
      Now available for models with 2JZ-GE and 1UZ-FE engines is the automatic ECT-i transmission system. This system integrates control of the transmission with the engine, allowing flexible gear shifting in various driving conditions for a smooth, comfortable ride.
      Moreover, the electronically controlled five-speed 5ECT-i automatic transmission has been newly developed and adopted on the Crown 4-Door Hardtop Royal Touring². Close gear ratio and high-precision hydraulic controls help the 5ECT-i provide smooth and powerful acceleration while reducing its size and weight to about that of a four-speed automatic transmission.

      ²Royal Touring

      A new grade introduced in the Crown 4-Door Hardtop (Royal Series). In addition to the 2JZ-GE engine and 5ECT-i, the Royal Touring comes with an exclusive, dark turquoise mica exterior, heat-absorbing glass, and Excene (suede-type artificial leather) interior lining.

2. Sedan
   An improved full-frame structure has been used for the body types of both three-number and five-number vehicles³, combined with a chic exterior and a stately cabin. Improved rear-seat access and wider passenger space increase luxury and comfort. Molded ceilings are used, except in certain grades, to create a graceful impression.
   There are six engine types in the sedan lineup, including the 3-liter, in-line 6-cylinder 2JZ-GE. The suspension is a combination of double-wishbone front suspension and semi-trailing-arm rear suspension for the three-number license plate model, and a double-wishbone front suspension and trailing-link rear suspension for five-number models and certain three-number models.
   For greater riding comfort, the front seats have been divided 40:60, to create a new lounge seat for three-person seating. For back-seat passenger comfort, part of the seat back of the front passenger seat can be folded open into an ottoman for extra leg room, and a collapsible head rest expands visibility from the back seat.
   Standard safety devices on all sedans include rear three-point seat belts, side door beams, and LED high-mount stop lamps. Also, driver-seat SRS air bags are installed on more models.
   In addition, the Royal Saloon is now available with the LPG (liquified petroleum gas), 2-liter, in-line 6-cylinder 1G-GP engine (maximum output: 110ps/5,600rpm). Oh other LPG models, with the 2-liter, in-line, 4-cylinder 3Y-PE engine (maximum output: 82ps/4,600rpm), power steering and front disk brakes have been introduced as standard equipment.
   ³Vehicle number plates for passenger cars in Japan are divided into two classes; three-digit number plates and five-digit plates. Three-digit number plates are required for cars with engine displacements over 2,000cc, and/or with vehicle dimensions larger than 2m tall, 1.7m wide, and 4.7m long. All passenger cars with smaller dimensions and engine displacements have five-digit number plates.
   3. Chassis and Body
      The optimum suspension system and body structure have been adopted for each model for added comfort, quietness, and stability.
      The Crown Majesta has a monocoque body, with front and rear anti-vibration sub-frames. An electronically controlled four-wheel double-wishbone air suspension system automatically controls the spring constant, damping, and body height. The Crown 4-Door Hardtop has an improved full-frame body, with double-wishbone front and semi-trailing rear suspension.
      Standard or optional on all the new models are an anti-lock brake system (ABS), effective in maintaining stability and control even when braking on slippery surfaces, and traction control (TRC), which prevents drive-wheel spin and helps assure stability in starting up, accelerating, and cornering on slippery roads. In particular, the world's first diesel engine TRC has been introduced.
      All TRC-equipped Crown Majestas come with ABS and a hydrobrake booster, which uses high hydraulic pressure for greater brake response and pedal feel. The hydraulic pressure is shared by the ABS and TRC systems, combining them into one integrated unit and making the entire system lighter.
      Furthermore, a lighter front and rear end achieves better vehicle balance, and the best possible suspension-link alignment has produced outstanding driving performance. In the Crown Majesta, the anti-vibration sub-frame and suspension components have been made lighter and more compact.
      Body panels have been enlarged and integrated, and joint structures have been rationalized to achieve lighter weight and greater body rigidity. Other improvements include wider application of thicker anti-corrosion steel coating. All these upgrades have fostered improvements in fundamental performance and quality.
   4. Interior
      The Crown's stylish cabin features easy-to-use controls and greater space and comfort. The interior also makes lavish use of smooth curves and unity and uniformity of components.

      The following advanced technology equipment is standard or optional, depending on body type and grade

      • GPS (Global Positioning System) Navigation
        By using satellite data, this system can pinpoint the car's position and display it on the Electro Multivision screen.
        It is also equipped with a map-matching function, which automatically adjusts the screen display relative to the actual location of the car.
      • GPS Route Information
        Major routes from the car's present position to given destinations can be shown on the Electro Multivision display.
      • Rear VIP Seat
        The left side of the back seat has been designed for riding comfort with an electrically-driven seat slide (130mm), electric head rest, vibrator, heater, and other functions.
      • Crown Super Live Sound System
        The Crown Super Live System can authentically reproduce music from various sources based on the acoustic characterstics of the cabin. The Crown Majesta has a 10-speaker system, and the Crown 4-Door Hardtop (Royal Series) has either a seven-or eight-speaker system.
      • DSP (Digital Signal Processor)
        Digital technology allows the Crown Super-Live Sound System to authentically reproduce music in four different acoustic settings.
      • Deodorizing Seat Fabric
        In addition to anti-static and stain-proof qualities, this new fabric absorbs unpleasant odors in the cabin such as plastic smells associated with new cars, cigarette smoke, and pet odors.
      • Computerized Driving-Position System
        Ideal position settings for exterior mirrors and seat-belt anchors (for the Crown Majesta only), as well as the driving-seat and steering-wheel position settings can be pre-programmed for instant automatic alignment.

   5. A High Level of Safety and Consideration for the Environment
      Great safety has been achieved by emphasizing both preventive safety and collision safety from the basic design stage.

      In preventive safety, natural-feeling handling results in excellent driving performance, and the following equipment is standard or optional depending on body-type and grade

      • ABS
      • TRC
      • Holographic Head-up Display
        Supplementing the instrument panel, this system optically projects speed and warning indicator images on the inside of the windscreen to help the driver focus and keep his eyes on the road.
      • LED High-Mount Stop Lamp
      • Ultrasonic Door Mirrors

      For crash safety, both new body types have crushable front and rear ends, and hard, deformity-resistant cabins. The following safety devices are standard or optional, depending on body type and grade

      • Driver-Seat SRS Air Bag
      • Preloader Seat Belts
        Using the same sensors and computer as the driver-seat SRS air bag, preloader seat belts automatically reduce seat-belt slack the instant a collision occurs, improving restraint capability.
      • Side Door Beam
      • Rear Three-Point Seat Belt
      • Seat-Belt Warning Lamp
      • Fire-Retardant Interior Fabric

      As part of its recycling program, the company is utilizing its newly developed material―Toyota Super Olefin Resin, a recyclable thermoplastic resin with outstanding hardness, rigidity, and moldability―for the front and rear bumpers, which are major resin parts.
      In addition, scrap and other leftover material from the production phase is recycled for certain resin products. Resin materials have also been marked to indicate type and content for easy sorting during vehicle scrapping.
      Toyota has also boosted fuel economy by improving engine combustion, reducing friction-loss and vehicle weight, and enhancing aerodynamic features. Also, a linear-control energy-conserving compressor has been adopted for air conditioning (in the Crown Majesta C Type) to reduce the burden on the engine.
3. Station Wagon and Van
   Both the station wagon and van models sport refined exteriors, and the interior was improved with the new lounge seat (Station Wagon only). In addition, vertically-adjustable head rests are standard on all models.
   Furthermore, ABS is optional on certain grades of the station wagon, and rear three-point seat belts, side door beams, and LED high-mount stop lamps are standard equipment on all station wagons and vans.