Tomica 1973 Toyota Crown Taxi, Toyota Crown Comfort Taxi, and Toyota MP-1 concept

The Toyota Crown is well-known across the world as Toyota’s hard working large sedan used in lots of commercial applications from police to taxi and even government use.  Here are two examples of the Crown in taxi uniform and even a crossover concept from the 1970’s, all from Tomica.

1973 Toyota Crown Taxi

In 1973 the Crown got a new radical styling design that has a more rounded appearance with signal lights up front mounted on the hood with a grille stripe while the headlights remain in the lower chrome grille portion.  If you think all taxis are yellow you’re wrong as different colors have appeared in many countries and this one uses a two-tone yellow and orange appearance that really helps this taxi stand out along with a separate TAXI sign on the roof.  The rear has a more concave look with a chrome center trim piece housing the quad square taillights and Crown badges at the end of the rear fenders.  The interior has lots of room in the back seat with the front having a full bench interrupted by a center armrest section and the usual no dashboard design of earlier Tomica’s (the real car has a typical dashboard layout of the time with all gauges and central controls positioned closer to the driver).  The engine is a 2.0L DOHC I-6 and 3-speed automatic to the rear wheels and while the car is big and heavy the lower stance allows for better handling than what a typical large sedan of the 1970’s would produce.  Tomica makes a lot of Toyota Crowns for each generation, but to me this one stands out with its unique styling.

Specifications:

• Engine: 2.0L DOHC I-6 108 hp.
• Transmission: 3-speed automatic
• 0-60 mph: 11.0 sec. est.
• Real vehicle price: $18,000 est.

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Toyota Crown Comfort Taxi

In a bid to make the Crown more appealing to smaller markets that would prefer a smaller car over the larger Crown the Comfort was introduced, a Corolla-sized car designed to handle the excessive abuse of Taxi duty.  Compared to the 1973 Crown this Comfort is huge, heavy, and looks to appear bloated than the actual car, all done in black with white taxi sign on the roof.  The front has a chrome grille with flush square headlights, typical side sedan profile, and vertical taillights of any compact car of the 1980’s and 1990’s.  In a turn of events instead of opening front doors the comfort has only one opening door on the right rear for passengers to get in the back, while up front the dashboard has a large layout with simple gauges, shifter located on the center console, and a center stack that has radio, HVAC controls, and additional pods for accessories associated with taxi duties.  The engine is a 2.0L DOHC I-4 hooked to a 5-speed manual or four-speed automatic to the rear wheels that uses a live rear axle for ease of maintenance, though handling would be superb if it wasn’t for the extra weight of this model!  These taxis are durable and favored among many in Japan though the car ended production in 2017 to make way for a new, taller taxi model.

Specifications:

• Engine: 2.0L DOHC I-4 95 hp. Est.
• Transmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic
• 0-60 mph: 12.0 sec est.
• Real vehicle price: $18,000 est.

Rating:  3.5 out of 5 stars

Toyota MP-1 concept

Crossovers are very popular in today’s world outsing car sales and causing automakers to abandon some car lines.  It is interesting to note that despite the first claims from automakers being first to the crossover segments Toyota had this idea all the way back in 1975 with the MP-1 concept vehicle, a crossover SUV based on the Toyota Crown platform.  Even though the concept is long lost save for a few photos, Tomica has preserved the model with this replica.  The wagon has a wide, soap bar profile with an elevated roof similar to other wagons at the time, sliding rear door seen later on minivans, and a large rear hatch that opens the whole rear section later used on the Audi Q7 SUV.  Note the window curtains in the rear window, TOYOTA letters on the gate, and taillights forced to the rear bumper.  Despite the radical styling out back the front has a typical car look with flush headlights and a chrome grille.  The hatch opens to a cargo area that is nice and large with seating for five and available tent accessories for camping, while up front is a flat dashboard design with central controls edging more closer to the driver(as usual this early Tomica has no dashboard save the steering wheel); this design would be used in the Toyota Previa van later on. The front passenger seat can swivel 360 degrees to the rear, the rear bench can tilt back for tailgating with also an incorporated refrigerator.  The platform, however, is typical rear wheel drive Toyota Crown with a 2.0L DOHC I-6 and 3-speed automatic transmission, and thus handling was more like a large wagon than a smaller crossover like today with body roll in play.  Still this is a cool casting that Tomica later used, of all places, as an ambulance.

Specifications:

• Engine: 2.0L DOHC I-6 108 hp.
• Transmission: 3-speed automatic
• 0-60 mph: 11.0 sec. est.
• Real vehicle price: In millions of dollars (as a one-off concept).

Rating:  4 out of 5 stars