Is the Toyota Crown the Mixed Drink We Need?
Toyota's newest sedan should give us some clues as to what the next Lexus GS will look like.
1. Old Name, New Face
The Toyota Crown is one of the oldest nameplates in the automotive world, having entered production way back in 1955. And although it hasn't been offered for sale in the U.S. since 1971, that doesn't mean that the 15th generation of the Crown, which debuted at this year's Tokyo Motor Show, isn't noteworthy. If for no other reason than the fact that the Crown Concept forms the basis of the next Lexus GS.
>>Join the conversation about the Toyota Crown and the next GS right here in ClubLexus.com.
2. Built for Fun
In Japan, the Crown serves as a high-end sedan, yet also as a workhorse favored by taxi companies and government agencies. It was the very first car Toyota ever imported to the U.S. and was once known as the Cressida. But this latest Crown Concept is a far cry from those humble beginnings. Built on a new global architecture and tested on the Nürburgring, Toyota promises that this staple sedan will be much more fun to drive than its predecessors.
>>Join the conversation about the Toyota Crown and the next GS right here in ClubLexus.com.
3. A Connected Future
Toyota also designed the Crown Concept to blend in seamlessly with next-generation mobility society. The "crown" jewel of which is a vehicle-to-vehicle networking function called ITS Connect (Intelligent Transport Systems). Currently, in use in various Toyota vehicles since 2015, V2V uses a 760-MHz radio band to communicate with roadside sensors and other similarly equipped vehicles.
>>Join the conversation about the Toyota Crown and the next GS right here in ClubLexus.com.
4. Next-Gen Safety Tech
The sensors in the Crown Concept are able to detect things like traffic signals and the presence of other vehicles, and they work in unison with features like automatic braking. The adaptive cruise control is linked to the car's actual acceleration and braking and can warn drivers of potential collisions with crossing traffic. It can also warn the driver about things like changing signals and emergency vehicles nearby.
>>Join the conversation about the Toyota Crown and the next GS right here in ClubLexus.com.
5. All About That Data
The commercial model of the Crown Concept will come equipped with Data Communication Modules (DCM), which Toyota uses to collect valuable data. And they claim that all of this futuristic technology is intended to keep not only the driver and passengers of the car safe but to protect society as a whole. So far, this connected tech is in the early development stages, but Toyota is one of the earliest adopters.
>>Join the conversation about the Toyota Crown and the next GS right here in ClubLexus.com.
6. Solving Society's Problems
Interestingly enough, Toyota claims that it intends to use this mobility service platform as a way of "solving societal problems." And no, we aren't exactly talking about world peace level stuff here. But Toyota intends to do useful things like using its technology to reduce traffic jams and predict potential maintenance issues before problems actually occur. And we're certainly cool with that.
>>Join the conversation about the Toyota Crown and the next GS right here in ClubLexus.com.
7. Hints of Lexus?
Toyota's technology sounds rather promising, and we're 100% certain to see it eventually trickle down into the Lexus range, which has long been ahead of the pack in regards to safety tech. And even though we won't see the new Crown here in the U.S., it's scheduled to hit Japanese dealer lots in the summer of 2018. How much that finished product resembles the next Lexus GS is anybody's guess at this point.
>>Join the conversation about the Toyota Crown and the next GS right here in ClubLexus.com.
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