Toyota launches 2013 Crown series in Japan

Toyota has new cars rolling off the assembly line in Japan this week, launching both the 2013 Crown Royal and Crown Athlete. Judging from the press shots we see below, the new cars in the Crown series look pretty sleek. Toyota even made a point of drawing our attention to the grills of the cars in its announcement, which it says were “based on the shape of a crown.” As sleek as they look, they demand a pretty hefty price if you want to take one home with you. Toyota didn’t get too terribly specific, but it did say that prices for cars in the Crown series range from $41,362 for the Royal on up to $63,626 for the Athlete G. That can’t exactly be considered pocket change, so those who want one are going to spend a significant amount of cash.

Of course, if you’re living in the US, you’re out of luck anyway. Despite the fact that the Royal and Athlete mark the 14th generation of the Crown series, the line isn’t offered by Toyota in the US. We suppose this is one of those instance where you’ll have to admire from afar, sadly. In any case, rear-wheel drive cars in the 2013 Crown series come with the option of a hybrid setup that features a 2.5 liter inline four-cylinder engine. For those who aren’t interested in hybrid technology, Toyota also offers the Crown with a 2.5 or 3.5 V6 engine.