The Toyota Crown is a relatively unknown Japanese luxury sedan, manufactured since 1955 in Japan. Production in China began in 2005 with the 12th generation Crown (S180), made by the Tianjin-FAW-Toyota Motors (TFTM) joint venture.
Things got a bit odd with the next 13th (S200) generation. Production in Japan started in 2008 and lasted until 2012. In China, production started in 2009. But instead of stopping in 2012, TFTM unveiled an updated S200, which was the produced for another four years!
That is the car we have here today. It is unique for China and wasn’t exported to anywhere else. Base design was still the same but the front was fully redesigned with a large heavily chromed grille. The front and rear lights were redesigned too, but other stuff, like the alloys, remained the same.
I met this special Crown in February 2013 at a large TFTM dealer in central Beijing, near the eastern section of the Fourth Ring Road. By that time it was still a very new car so I was very happy to see it.
Like every Crown, the ‘Chinese’ S200 had a pretty Crown badge on the C-pillar.
Rear light units were huge! The updated S200 was available with two engines: a 2.5 liter V6 with an output of 193 hp and 236 Nm and a 3.0 liter V6 with 227 hp and 293 Nm. Both engines were mated to a 6-speed automatic. The 2.5 liter model is way more common than the 3.0, which was cause by the large price difference. The 2.5 could be had for 349.800 yuan whereas a 3.0, with the same trim level, sold for 469.800 yuan.
The facelift S200 was eventually succeeded in 2015 by the 14th generation Crown (S210), and that was also the very last generation Crown made in China. TFTM opted out of the S220 and instead choose for the Toyota Avalon (XX50).
How they look when they arrive from the factory! Dusty and covered with just enough protective plastics.
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