A Japanese sedan has been spotted undergoing trials at the Nurburgring, and while it does wear Lexus wheels, it’s more likely that we’re looking at the next-generation Toyota Crown, based on the car’s shape and grille details.

The Crown nameplate turned 60 in 2015, when the 14th-generation model, first introduced in 2012, received a major update in the form of a new 2.0 litre turbocharged engine. We’ll have to wait and see to find out what new advancements this new generation models will bring, and whether it will stick to the current multi-line model range (Crown Athlete, Crown Royal and Crown Majesty).


A hybrid version should be a given, possibly even adopting the latest Multi Stage Hybrid System in use the Lexus LS 500h. On the technology front, the current model already boasts top-of-the-line vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication in Japan, so it’ll be interesting to see what the 15th-generation Crown will add on.

Cr : Paultan