Toyota's Flagship Crown Model Will Make its Global Debut

Toyota's flagship model in Japan, the Crown, is now available globally, including in the United States. "I'm so excited to announce today that this new Crown family of vehicles will be offered not just in Japan but globally for the very first time. A car that could very well be our crowning achievement," its Chief Executive Akio Toyoda told reporters Friday.

The 16th generation Crown, which will go into production in January, will be available in four models: a crossover with a hybrid system, a sedan that is most similar to Crowns seen on Japanese streets, a sport-utility vehicle, and a waggon crossover called the "estate," according to the company.

The Crown will be available in 40 countries, with Toyota Motor Corp. aiming for annual global sales of 200,000 vehicles. In Japan, the cheapest version starts at 4.35 million yen ($31,000). Toyota, Japan's largest automaker, sells approximately 10 million vehicles worldwide each year. It has a successful global luxury lineup called Lexus, with the cheapest models costing around $35,000 in the United States.

With the first sedan going on sale in Japan in 1955, the Crown's history parallels the rise of Toyota and the modern Japanese economy. "Someday a Crown," has been a catchphrase over the years. However, cars are not well-known outside of the country.