Toyota Crown Convertible Concept – A Unique Approach to Open-Air Driving
You never asked for it, but for a little more than a decade, automakers have delivered the showy, car-based convertible SUVs you’ve been longing for. That’s right, they’ve taken the sport utility vehicle, subtracted the utility portion—creating some separation from Jeep’s Wrangler, a real SUV that also is a convertible—lopped off the roof, and BAM! Open-air fun at a ride height well above mere mortal cars, without that pesky stiff ride you get in a Jeep.
The Odd Squad
It all started with Nissan’s drop-top Murano, which not only deleted its top but also shed its rear doors for a short-lived quasi-coupe/convertible runabout dubbed the CrossCabriolet. A few years later, Range Rover one-upped the discontinued Murano with its highly similar Evoque convertible, marking the world’s first topless luxury not-SUV. That Evoque, too, probably snuck right by you.
Six years after the Evoque convertible bowed out, Toyota is shocking everyone with yet another roofless crossover-ish concept, this one based on the Crown sedan that sits nearly as high as an SUV and looks as awkward as it sounds on paper—both in standard four-door and one-off convertible forms. The Crown convertible build was revealed yesterday in a video by Toyota Times alongside the somewhat more natural looking Toyota Century SUV convertible intended to be used as a parade transport for Sumo wrestling champions.
Blowing the Roof Off
The sleek, sloping roofline that offsets the Crown’s ultra-tall doors and massive wheel gap, along with the B-and-C-pillars, was completely removed. Unlike the Murano CrossCab, Toyota kept all four doors in place. The transition in the rear between the decklid and the roof cut is actually quite smooth, given the dramatic surgery that took place.
The upper portion of the Crown’s rear quarters lends itself to a fairly natural transition once the top was removed, especially since the two-toned paint scheme was kept. The small rear window’s lower frame is now topped with a finishing cover, making the overall aesthetic more cohesive.
Fully Furnished
Inside, the interior remains factory issue with the rear parcel shelf now wider and leather wrapped. The same material is applied to the top portion of the windshield, often an eyesore when these sorts of conversions are done. Despite the clunky appearance due to the light color against the black A-pillar trim, the entire conversion, done in-house at Toyota, is exceptionally well executed.
It’s nonetheless an incredibly strange effort on Toyota’s part, given the small number of convertible enthusiasts and even smaller number of current Crown buyers in America. The Crown convertible may not fit the traditional convertible audience, but it showcases Toyota’s innovative approach in the automotive world. While the Murano brought shock value as the first in this category, the Crown ‘vert likely serves a niche audience.
For now, there seems to be little chance Toyota sends the Crown convertible into production. However, the intriguing nature of the design remains commendable. It could transform an already unique sedan into something even more extraordinary, especially with the impending arrival of the new Crown Signia SUV.
