We all eventually have to embark on our final journey. But what if a Cadillac or Lincoln isn’t quite your style? For practical reasons, the choice of hearse doesn’t always reflect the person’s automotive preferences in life.
However, JDM fans are in luck: Nissan and Toyota produce stately sedans on their domestic market that are excellent candidates for conversion into hearses. One such vehicle has recently been listed for sale in the United States.
This 2001 Toyota Crown Athlete V has all the necessary space for a coffin, yet otherwise looks like the perfect base for a drift project. Under the hood sits a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-six with massive tuning potential, paired with rear-wheel drive.
The transmission is an automatic — as far as we recall, a manual was never offered on these cars. In this generation (S170), Toyota produced both sedans and wagons, and it appears this hearse was converted from the latter.
While this car isn’t as ornately decorated as traditional Japanese hearses, it will undoubtedly get the job done — without any accusations of cultural appropriation.
The wheelbase doesn’t appear to have been extended, so the coffin sits roughly where the rear seat row would normally be. The cargo area is neatly finished with wood panels, though the hastily modified rear-seat area didn’t receive the same treatment. The passenger is unlikely to file a complaint.
The Crown S170 debuted in 1999 and was produced until 2002. The Athlete was the sportier version of the model, alongside the luxurious Royal trim and the long-wheelbase Majesta. It featured the turbocharged 1JZ engine, a mesh-style grille, and subtle body kit.
The Crown name itself is one of the oldest in Toyota’s lineup, dating back to 1955. In recent years, Toyota has expanded the Crown family with a raised TNGA-based sedan and the Signia crossover. Traditional rear-wheel-drive Crown models, however, are not offered on the American market.
The listing doesn’t contain much information about the car, but it does confirm mileage of over 81,400 miles. It is listed for $14,514 — noticeably more expensive than comparable Crowns from the same era. Then again, this is a rather unusual vehicle.
