SOTW: Toyota Crown

Shed finds living proof that the Japanese do have a history of luxury cars

Compared with that of the European automotive industry, the history of the Japanese luxury car is pretty short. Mercedes-Benz might be celebrating 125 years of glorious existence, and Rolls-Royce is still batting well past its century, but the Japanese didn't really get into their luxury stride until the 1980s when Toyota, Honda and Nissan created Lexus, Acura and Infiniti respectively.

The Japanese luxury car, in short, has very little in the way of heritage behind it. And that's always been a problem for the emergent far-eastern luxury brands, because it's history, provenance and breeding that has traditionally sold luxury cars. Which is something, say the Europeans, that these Japanese Johnny-come-latelys don't have.

At least that's what Merc and Rolls et al would like you to believe, but actually it's a bit of a line, because the Japanese do have a luxury car heritage and Shed has selected proof of its existence for today's Shed of the Week.

It might look like an early 80s American cop car (not necessarily a bad thing) crossed with, well, a Datsun Bluebird saloon (not really a good thing), but this is actually a Toyota Crown - part of a model lineage that stretches all the way back to 1955.

The Crown initially appeared as a taxi, but became larger and more luxurious throughout the course of its various incarnations until it was considered to be a pukka full-size luxury saloon.

By the time the Toyota Crown had reached the iteration you see here - the sixth generation - its luxury car status was fully established.

Beneath the bonnet of this particular car lurks a perfectly respectable 2.8-litre straight six (a version of the 5M-GE motor that is most familiar from the Celica Supra Mk2), that, back in 1981, would have but out a reasonable if not electrifying 145bhp.

The car's luxury credentials are further cemented by such impressively unusual creature comforts as rear-seat air-con controls, separate rear-seat radio controls, an auto-reverse cassette player, central locking and even a remote boot opener.

Pretty impressive, we're sure you'll agree, although some of the other items the vendor lists as proof of luxury are perhaps a little more dubious - Velour seats? We'd prefer leather, ta. And document pouches in the back of the front seats? Everybody say 'ooohhhh'...

Nevertheless, this wafty Toyota looks like it could be a little gem. It's allegedly undergone a fairly recent restoration and there are bills, MOT certificates and main dealer stamps stacked up all the way back to day one. It doesn't say whether it has a current tax and ticket, but we like it sufficiently that we'll choose to believe it has.

And even if it hasn't, with a price tag of £595, you could certainly tax it - and probably put it through its MOT - and stay well within Shed's £1k budget.

£595 for a slice of Japanese luxury car history? Sounds like a bargain to us...

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TOYOTA CROWN MS112 £595

TOYOTA CROWN BEST IN UK YOU WILL NOT FIND BETTER For Sale (1981)

THIS HAS HAD 1 OWNER FROM NEW WITH JUST 91000 MILES
WITH FULL UP TO DATE MAIN DEALER TOYOTA SERVIVE HISTORY
ALL THE PREVIOUS MOTS FROM NEW SINCE DAY 1
U WILL NOY FIND A CLEANER AND MOST ORIGINAL EXAMPLE ANYWHERE
PROBABLY THE BEST EXAMPLE IN THE WHOLE OF UK

THE MS112 CROWN IS ONE OF THE LAST MODELS TO BE LAUNCHED IN UK SINCE THE 1960'S

AS YOU ARE ALL AWARE HOW LUXURY THESE CROWNS WHERE SINCE THE 60'S, EVERY MODEL GOT BETTER WITH MORE TO OFFER FOR VERY LITTLE MONEY.

THE MS112 WAS INDEED A TRUE STYLISH 80'S CAR WHICH HAD ALOT TO OFFER IN ITS DAY

THE 2.8 LITRE ENGINE WAS A SIX CYLINDER SINGLE OHC,WATER- COOLED,SEVEN BEARING CRANKSHAFT WHICH WAS FUEL INJECTED AND HAD A ELECTRONIC IGNITION PRODUCING 145BHP :-)

IT HAS BEEN RESTORED A FEW YEARS AGO BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHOS HAD THE CAR SINCE 2000, I HAVE SOME PICTURES FROM WHEN IT WAS GETTING RESTORED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER, COMES WITH ALOT OF HISTORY INCLUDING THE MAIN DEALER SERVICE BOOK, PREVIOUS BILLS AND INVOICES FROM TOYOTA, THREE TOYOTA REPAIR MANUALS ENGINE 5M MANUAL, CHASSIS MANUAL AND A BODY MANUAL

THE CROWN IS FULL OF GADGETS INSIDE COMES WITH POWER STEERING,LUXURY SOFT VELOUR SEATS THE DRIVERS SEAT CAN BE TILTED FOR MORE OR LESS THIGH SUPPORT, FOUR HEADREST WHICH CAN BE ADJUSTED FOR HEIGHT THE FRONT TWO CAN BE MOVED FORWARD AND BACKWARD GIVING YOU ALL THE COMFORT YOU NEED.

YOU HAVE YOUR OWN LIGHTING IN THE REAR SEATS OWN A/C CONTROL, DOCUMENT POUCHES IN THE BACK OF FRONT SEATS YOUR OWN RADIO CONTROL KNOB AND A CIGAR LIGHTER, TINTED WINDOWS FROM MANUFACTURER, MW/LW/FM SELF SEEKING RADIO, AUTO REVERSE CASSETTE PLAYER, ELECTRIC WINDOWS, CENTRAL DOOR LOCKING, REMOTE BOOT OPENER, HALOGEN HEADLAMPS THE LIST GOES ON TOO MUCH TO LIST THE MS112 IS A PROPER 80'S LUXURY MOTER, NOT MANY LEFT IN THIS CONDITION

CAR STARTS FIRST TIME EVERY TIME, DRIVES LIKE IT SHOULD, STILL HAS THE ORIGINAL WHEEL TRIMS AND NUMBER PLATES . THERE IS A LEAK IN THE BACK BOX EXHAUST APART FROM THAT I CANT FAULT IT SO IF YOU ARE AFTER A GOOD SOLID CROWN HERE IS YOUR CHANCE TO OWN ONE, ALL INNER AND BOOT DOORS HAVE BEEN TREATED SEE PICS.

REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE AS NEED MONEY URGENTLY