Celebrating 70 Years of the Toyota Crown

AutoPerformance
Sep 4
3 min read

The Toyota Crown turned 70 this year, and it was honored recently in the Toyota Museum in Nagoya, Japan. The Crown might not be part of the current Toyota lineup in the Philippines, but it still has many die-hard fans. Among them are three friends of the AutoPerformance family: Francis Samonte, Francis Coloma, and Lawin Bajit.

Francis Samonte's 1993 Crown Royale Saloon is a labor of love, in more than just the car guy sense. It was his father's car, whose wish for it was to be reborn as "better than new," before passing away. "Apart from the fact the the car is a legacy passed down to me by my dad, I love the Toyota Crown as I believe it is the embodiment of simple luxury," explained Samonte. "The quietness of the interior, the supple seats, the commanding size is descriptive of what luxury is during its time." This was a spare-no-expense restoration, with painstakingly sourced JDM parts, 18" Work wheels, and special Advan tires. And while Francis' father didn't see the final product, he did see it 90% done. When he laid eyes on his Crown, he said, "ang ganda na ng kotse ko (my car is so beautiful now)." We agree wholeheartedly.

Francis Coloma's 1980 Crown Super Saloon is lovingly restored, but it's no garage queen. This car is driven all over, during work trips or family vacations that take him from Manila to Ilocos to Batangas and more, proving that a well-maintained Crown is as reliable as any modern car. In his words, it's his "work horse." But history shows that this is a royal stallion - it has a "cross-mark" key, which is a sign that this was once owned by the Japanese imperial household. But now, it serves Francis and the Coloma family, and serves them well.

Lawin Bajit has taken a refreshingly unique approach on his 1997 Crown Comfort, which has been converted it into a replica Kojin-liveried Japan taxi, complete with original Japan-sourced parts. For him, restoring, maintaining, and running a classic car is challenging but fulfilling as a JDM car enthusiast in the Philippines. "That bond between man and machine is slowly fading as cars and driving are now designed as a service rather than an experience," said Bajit. "The Toyota Crown Comfort is one of the few gems left from the 90s that is the complete opposite of this. It wasn't designed to be the best in its class, but simply to outlast almost everyone else that followed it."

Meanwhile in the Toyota Museum, a special exhibit was displayed in honor of the Crown nameplate. And while we can write about it more, I think we will let the photos do the talking.