This A Rare Toyota Crown Coupe From 1971

This is a rare 1971 Toyota Crown Coupe, it’s the two-door version of the Crown, one of the most important Toyota sedans of the 20th century.

The Crown Coupe shown here is powered by the Toyota MS70 inline-six, a 2.0 liter engine with a single overhead cam, two-valves per cylinder and approximately 113 bhp depending on the variant. Relatively few of these have survived, and as a result many have never even seen one in person.

Fast Facts: The Toyota Crown Coupe

• This 1971 Toyota Crown Coupe is a rare two-door variant of the Crown lineup, powered by a 2.0 liter MS70 inline-six engine with a single overhead cam and approximately 113 bhp. Few examples have survived, making them uncommon even among vintage Toyota enthusiasts, many of whom who never have seen one in person.
• First launched in 1955 as the Toyopet Crown, the model became a mainstay of Toyota’s domestic lineup, second only to the Land Cruiser in the length of its production run. Early Crowns used body-on-frame construction, and although briefly sold in the US, poor performance on American highways due to low power led to their withdrawal in the 1960s.
• As the Crown evolved through the 1960s and 1970s, it gained more refined styling, four-wheel independent suspension, and more powerful inline-six cylinder engine options. It was widely used in Japan as a government and business sedan, and became known for its conservative looks, rear-drive layout, and its long-running emphasis on passenger comfort.
• The car shown here was originally delivered in Japan, imported to Australia roughly a decade ago, and restored in 2020. Now registered in Queensland, it shows just over 93,000 km. It wears aftermarket 15-inch alloys with GT Radial tires, and includes features like a push-button radio, heater, and top-tinted windscreen.

History Speedrun: The Toyota Crown

The Toyota Crown made its debut in 1955, originally named the Toyopet Crown. It would become the most important Toyota sedan in the Japanese market and one of the longest-running passenger-car models in Toyota history – only being beaten by the Land Cruiser.

Powered by a 1.5 liter inline-four engine, the first-generation Crown had a body-on-frame design and coil-spring suspension. It was the first Toyota (and one of the first Japanese cars) exported to the United States in 1958 – though it was withdrawn from the US market in the early 1960s due to poor sales and its performance limitations that made it less-than-ideal for the higher speeds of American highways.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the Crown evolved relatively gradually – more body styles were added including hardtops and station wagons, and Toyota introduced incremental improvements to powertrains and ride quality.

The third generation made its debut in 1967, it brought a more modern, aerodynamic design, and the fourth generation (landing in 1971) introduced four-wheel independent suspension – relatively unusual for a four-door sedan at its price point at the time.

More powerful inline-six engines were added to the lineup to accompany the inline-fours, and Toyota continued to position the Crown as a higher-end vehicle for business use, as well as for use as taxis, and in government fleets.

By the 1980s, the Crown had become known for its conservative styling, rear-wheel-drive layout, and its focus on comfort. It often included features not yet common in other Toyota models, like digital dashboards, more advanced climate control, and advanced driver aids.

These models were aimed mainly at the Japanese domestic market, where the Crown retained its strong brand recognition – it was widely seen as a more luxurious alternative to more common four-door sedans, and it occupied a step below the more high-end Toyota Century.

Though sold in select overseas markets at various points, it was not part of Toyota’s core export strategy. The Crown’s role as Toyota’s flagship in Japan would eventually be replaced in international markets by the Lexus brand beginning in the late 1980s, which now fill the same market niche.

The Crown entered its twelfth generation in 2003 and continued to receive updates in technology and safety. In 2018, the fifteenth generation was introduced on the TNGA-L platform, used across several Toyota models. It included rear and all-wheel-drive options and hybrid variants.

In 2022, Toyota completely restructured the Crown lineup. The sixteenth generation introduced a series of four different body styles: a crossover, a sedan, a sport SUV, and an estate-type model. This marked a clean break from the Crown’s history as a sedan-only vehicle.

The new global version of the Crown, sold in markets including the United States, uses hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains and emphasizes a higher seating position and SUV-influenced styling. This was a change forced by the surging popularity of SUVs, often at the expense of more traditional sedans like the Crowns of old.

The 1971 Toyota Crown Coupe Shown Here

The car you see here is a Toyota Crown Coupe from 1971 that benefits from a recent restoration, it’s powered by the 2.0 liter version of the Toyota MS70 inline-six, mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. It comes with the Toyota-branded tool roll, a spare wheel, and two keys – the restoration is reported to have occurred in 2020.

This Crown was originally a Japanese-delivered model, but it was imported into Australia approximately 10 years ago and it’s now road registered there. It has 93,143 kms on the odometer, roughly 57,876 miles. It’s finished in white over a black vinyl-trimmed interior with woven-effect seat inserts, embossed accents on the door cards, and chrome trim highlights.

The car rides on an aftermarket set of 15-inch Evolution eight-spoke alloy wheels, and these are fitted with GT Radial Champiro VP1 tires. It’s also equipped with a top-tinted windscreen, a push-button radio, and a heater.

It’s now being offered for sale on Collecting Cars out of Brisbane in Queensland. If you’d like to read more about it or place a bid you can visit the listing here.

Images courtesy of Collecting Cars