The 21st Guangzhou International Auto Show has just ended as the most exciting and gorgeous session since the 21st session, with more than 800,000 visitors and 1,132 cars on display, all breaking the historical record. Behind the prosperity of thousands of cars, there is the intensification of the involution of major automobile brands, the rise of independence, the persistence of joint ventures, the-for-tat confrontation of opponents, the direct confrontation of competing products, and the forces of the automobile "rivers and lakes" are all going all out in the show of the Guangzhou Auto Show. Among them, FAW Toyota has demonstrated the profound strength of the world's No. 1 camp with a whole family lineup.
At this Guangzhou Auto Show, FAW Toyota brought the new Prado, New Corolla, New Asia Dragon, New R**4 Rongfang, Ruifang, Lingfang, Grevia, Crown SportCross, Crown Lufang, Crown Wilfa, New Crown, GR Supra, and the whole family lineup of BZ pure electric series, with models covering fuel, pure electric, hybrid, plug-in and other drive forms, which not only shows the system strength of FAW Toyota's diversified layout, but also shows the brand's commitment to electrification, intelligence, The fruitful results of high-end transformation. The two blockbuster new cars released during the auto show, the new crown and the new Prado, are not only the highlight of the booth, but also have become a hot topic in the industry recently. Among them, in addition to the Prado, which is the representative of Toyota's hard-core off-road models, the launch of the new Crown also makes people begin to review Toyota's luxury pioneer road!
Since the second generation of Crown entered China for the first time at the Canton Fair in 1964, the "Crown", which has taken 68 years of ingenuity and inheritance, and has gone through 16 generations of evolution and iteration, has evolved from a legendary sedan to an independent luxury brand, opening a new layout that breaks through itself, including Crown SportCross, Crown Lufang, Crown Wilfa and the new flagship model Crown. It fully covers the four major market segments of MPV, SUV, crossover and sedan. Under the guidance of Toyota's service-oriented and long-term business philosophy, it has become a crown family that meets the needs of customers in all scenarios and diversified vehicles.
Crown The beginning of Toyota's autonomous luxury
In the early 50s of the 20th century, in the face of the current situation that Japan still needed to rely on the technology of European and American countries. In order to improve the national standard, Toyota resolutely shouldered the important task of developing "purely domestic cars". In January 1955, the first generation of the crown was born, which was the first model truly independently developed by Japan.
Caption: The first-generation Toyota Crown.
Toyota's first-generation Crown has injected a lot of innovative designs, such as a bi-directional door design that makes it easier for rear passengers to get in and out of the carJapan's first double-wishbone independent front suspension. In December of that year, the Crown luxury model Deluxe was launched, and the front windshield was changed from two left and right to one piece, and the radio and heater were upgraded to standard equipment.
At this time, the crown was branded with the logo of TOYOPET, which literally means "Toyota's darling", and the market performed surprisingly well, and at the same time, it also went to Europe and the United States, and became the leader of Japanese cars to the world.
Caption: Crown Deluxe
In 1962, Toyota launched the second-generation Crown, positioned as a wide and comfortable luxury sedan, and the design also absorbed the elements of large American sedans in the same period, and the flagship was full of style.
Caption: The interior of Toyota's second-generation Crown.
The second-generation Crown pioneered the "X-shaped" chassis to improve driving stability, as well as cutting-edge technologies such as the M-series straight-six engine and the Toyota Glide automatic transmission.
Caption: The second-generation Toyota Crown.
In 1964, the Crown Eight (Crown 8), a high-end derivative of the second-generation Crown, was launched, equipped with Japan's first mass-produced V8 engine. In addition, the car also had exclusive power windows, cruise control, a 3-speed automatic transmission, electromagnetic door locks and other high-tech equipment at the time. When it was introduced, it became one of the most luxurious sedans in Japanese cars at the time.
The Toyota Crown Eight (Crown 8) was officially exported to China at the Canton Fair in 1964, becoming the first Toyota car to enter the country.
Caption: Toyota Crown 8
In 1967, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the birth of Toyota's founder, Sakichi Toyoda, Toyota launched Toyota's top-of-the-line luxury flagship model, Toyota Century, based on the Crown Eight, in the same month that the third generation of the Crown was released.
Caption: Toyota Century
So far, Toyota has led Japan to achieve positive results on the road to independence through the crown!This year also happens to be the year of Toyota's founding!
The ever-evolving Toyota Crown product matrix
In 1983, Toyota launched the seventh-generation Crown, in line with the development concept of "the world's most advanced flagship car", Toyota began to frantically explode the configuration of this generation of Crown. There are all features such as ABS, ESC electronic stability control, power steering wheel that can sense cornering force and vehicle speed, eight-way memory power seats, rear seat refrigerator, electronic instrument cluster, automatic air conditioning, front and rear reading lights, and power mirrors. It is also equipped with the TEMS electronically controlled active suspension system, which allows the driver to manually select a comfortable, stable or sporty chassis mode depending on the road conditions or driving needs.
If you want to be far ahead, then the Toyota Crown definitely deserves its name!
Caption: The seventh generation of the crown.
In 1984, the seventh-generation crown entered China and quickly occupied the domestic business car and taxi market, and in 1985 it imported 17,250 units.
Caption: The interior space of the seventh-generation Crown.
In March 2005, FAW Toyota's first domestically produced Crown was officially launched based on the 12th-generation Crown Royal series. "Harmony is the way, and if you want to reach, you will reach", the oriental luxury philosophy has been perfectly interpreted and conveyed through this generation of crowns.
In the first month of its launch, FAW Toyota Crown surpassed the Audi A6L with sales of 2,992 units, becoming the best-selling mid-to-high-end luxury sedan in the Chinese market. In the following two months, orders exceeded 10,000 units, and by the end of 2006, the sales volume of the crown exceeded 60,000, and its market share in the luxury car market exceeded 30%.
Caption: Domestic crown (12th generation).
Since then, China's auto industry has ushered in an explosive period, with the rise of independent brands, a large number of subdivided models have emerged, and market competition has entered a mature and anxious period. FAW Toyota also responded quickly, relying on its profound car-making technology to launch a new Crown brand model matrix to meet market challenges and meet the needs of young customers for all-scenario vehicles.
In 2021, FAW Toyota first introduced the high-end MPV - Crown Wilfa, and quickly launched the high-end SUV - Crown Land within half a year. In the same year, Crown Lufang won the honor of "Best SUV" at the China Automobile Festival hosted by CCTV with its innate crown-level product strength.
On June 21, 2023, the Crown SportCross and the **Crown Wilfa dual-car were jointly launched, and FAW Toyota achieved a super advancement in the strength of the Crown brand, and the product matrix of the Crown brand was gradually improved. Crown SportCross is regarded as the "crown of the younger generation" by consumers, with a simple design and a visually striking black and gold two-tone body color, reinterpreting "future luxury".Adopting the new "island structure" design concept, it is people-oriented and redefines the "driving space".
Based on the TNGA architecture, the front and rear independent suspension has been retuned to improve vehicle comfort and agility, and reshape the handling experience expected of a new generation luxury brandIt is equipped with the Toyota 2 as the "new flagship of Toyota's advanced technology".The new hybrid system of 4T turbocharged engine and 6-speed automatic transmission - Dual Boost Hybrid System has a peak power of 255kW, a maximum output torque of 551N·m, and a 0-100 acceleration of only 58 seconds, bringing people an unprecedented surging driving feeling. Toyota's "new power species" evolution debut!
This series of continuous renewal and upgrading based on the "innovation and challenge" gene of the crown brand allows every crown "sentimental supporter" or "wave pioneer" to feel the more extreme and more elegant luxury new experience brought by the crown brand.
After upgrading and shaping the brand image, redefining the design language, and improving and verifying the new chassis technology and new power system, the Guangzhou International Auto Show in November 2023 will be the finale of FAW Toyota's new Crown as the flagship model of the Crown brand's product matrix
The hard power of the new crown
The new Crown was developed by Toyota based on the decision to create the "original Crown", and redefines the Toyota flagship with the new style of IKEA and IKEA with the design concept of "New Formal".
The all-new crown is built on the GA-L platform and adopts the FR layout, which is designed to improve the balance of front and rear weight, the high rigidity of the body frame, and the lightweight, bringing a smoother and smoother driving textureAt the same time, the comfort of the rear seat is further enhancedIt also makes the posture of the vehicle more beautiful, with a long front end and a smooth body side line, supplemented by a slotted taillight design, creating a sense of spaciousness while maintaining a majestic demeanor. Compared with other models in the same class, the first obvious advantage of the new crown created by the FFR layout is that it makes the posture of the whole car more beautiful. From any angle, the body stance is low, wide and powerfulThe long nose and smooth side lines of the car, complemented by a slotted taillight design, create a sense of spaciousness while maintaining a majestic style. In addition, the FR layout model has more advantages in terms of driving control, comfort, safety and other aspects. It is more advantageous than the common FF layout of the same level.
In addition to the elegant, majestic and sporty body shape, the new crown is also meticulously crafted in the details of the vehicle's exterior.
Hammer-shaped"The design enhances the sharpness and width of the front face;"under priority"The large trapezoidal grille, the blackened chrome surface exudes an attractive sheen, and the geometric patterns of the decoration are reminiscent of carved glass, creating a sense of refined and luxurious fashion, a timeless design beauty unique to the new crown.
Interior design and assembly technology has always been Toyota's strength, and it has always been known in the world for its delicate and exquisite craftsmanship.
From the instrument panel to the left and right doors to the floating center console, the new crown uses large-area wood grain panels that are arranged in a continuous row, emphasizing the characteristics of the "island structure". Accessible areas (such as the instrument panel, door trim panels, center console, etc.) are wrapped in leather, creating the warmth and comfort and poetic serenity that are unique to Crown Eastern luxury.
The wood grain board inside the new Crown car adopts the popular design of laminated wood, and in order to achieve the realistic three-dimensional effect of laminated wood, more than 200 iterations were carried out in the development process to finally determine the concave and convex touch of the surface.
The new Crown has an extra-long wheelbase of 3,000mm to ensure that rear passengers enjoy plenty of legroom. Premium Nappa leather seats and rear seats are heated and ventilated, and the rear armrests are equipped with a multi-function control panel through which various functions of the vehicle can be operated.
In terms of vehicle power, the all-new Crown is equipped with Toyota's first 25L multi-stage hybrid system, the maximum power of the system is 179kW, and the fuel consumption under WLTC comprehensive working conditions is 624L 100km, strong power performance and higher fuel economy at the same time. This newly developed multi-stage hybrid system consists of 2The 5-liter engine and two electric motors provide a direct, responsive response when accelerating in any speed range through a combination of stepped gears. At the same time, engine speed remains low at high speeds, ensuring better fuel economy and quieter driving.
Can luxury flagships reshape the landscape?
The Guangzhou International Auto Show FAW Toyota's new crown into the domestic market, for many loyal fans of the crown is undoubtedly good news, for some reason, the 15th generation of the crown failed to enter the domestic sales, everyone from the 14th generation of the crown production has been waiting for the present.
Before the Guangzhou Motor Show, pre-orders for the all-new Crown were already available in Japan, with prices ranging from 7.3 million yen to 8.3 million yen, equivalent to 35 yuan50,000 yuan to 4040,000 yuan. Considering the ** of Lexus ES, the price of the new crown in the domestic market is estimated to be between 35-400,000 yuan, which accurately cuts into the price range of competitors Audi A6L, Cadillac CT6, and Volvo S90 without being left out in the cold because of the excessively high **.
There are a thousand Hamlets for a thousand readers on the subjective subject of the aesthetics of the appearance of the new crown, which varies from person to person. Young and sporty, futuristic sense of technology is the style of the 16th generation model, I think when Lexus became an aggressive spindle front face, there were many people who expressed some pessimism, and then were slapped in the face by the sales data. In this era, rejuvenation is always the trend, compared to the Audi A6L and Volvo S90, which have not been replaced for a long time, the shape is mediocre and full of middle-aged feeling, the new crown has made great strides forward in the calibration of the customer group!
The length, width and height of the new crown are 5030 1890 1470mm, and the wheelbase is 3000mm, which is a proper C-class luxury sedan. Compared with Audi A6L, Volvo S90, and Cadillac CT6, Toyota Crown's consistent exquisite interior, quiet and quiet interior space, and user-friendly functional configuration add a lot of points to it. With 8-way heated front seats, a leather steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging, dual-zone automatic climate control, and Auto-dimming mirrors with HomeLink support, the new Crown continues its tradition of crazy configurations.
Due to policy and technical reasons, FAW Toyota's new Crown is only equipped with 25L multi-stage hybrid system, 2The 4-T Hybrid MAX hybrid engine and FCEV hydrogen-powered engine were not introduced. There are two types of hybrids in the world, one is Toyota Hybrid, and the other is other hybrids. This set of 2The 5L multi-stage hybrid system is a fitting configuration for a C-class luxury sedan like the new Crown, with a maximum output of 179kW and a comprehensive fuel consumption of 6 per 100 kilometersAt 24L (WLTC), the powertrain is on par with the Audi A6L40 45 in terms of fuel economy and power output.
Times are changing, and so are users' standards and pursuits for luxury cars. As a younger, more modern and more avant-garde flagship model of the Crown brand, the new Crown is committed to becoming an all-round "hexagonal" warrior in addition to the continuous improvement of its own product strength, and is also making efforts through measures such as advanced channel network, upgraded service system, and evolution of user rights and interests. It remains to be seen whether the new crown will win the favor of consumers.
Che Shangwu said:
68 years of spring and autumn, 16 generations of evolutionary iterations, is still in progress. The crown is Toyota's spiritual totem of 'innovation and challenge', which represents Toyota's deep insight and high level of each era, it comes from Toyota, and is higher than Toyota;With the goal of 'making better cars', Toyota's advanced technology and lean manufacturing have always been pioneered by Crown. The Crown was the starting point for Toyota's journey towards luxury, from which the Toyota Century was born!The all-new Crown is a flagship model that helps FAW Toyota build a new strategic depth in the new era of industrial transformation.
With the arrival of the new Crown, the Crown brand has formed a new product matrix covering sedans, MPVs, SUVs and crossovers, which will surely lead FAW Toyota to open a new high-end pattern in the future.
Knock on the blackboard at the end Note: The new crown will be available in the first half of 2024!