Toyota's secret SUV revealed in new patent pics!

Toyota's incoming Crown SUV has been detailed in what appear to be patent images, with Japanese media reporting the new model will act as a flagship for the brand, sitting above even the LandCruiser 300 Series.

Flagship it might be, but as you can see from these images, the Crown SUV won't be taking the LC300's off-road-king spot. Instead, it appears more of a high-riding sedan, and one which will no doubt focus on luxury over capability.

It's not yet known if this is the SUV version of the Crown, but it's possible the images we're looking at are of the sedan version, which will arrive in sedan, hatchback and wagon guises, and will be joined by the SUV.

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Japan's Best Car Web says it's the "Sedan Plus", which is due to be unveiled in full around the middle of next month.

It also is on the cards for an Australian launch. The Crown was always intended to be a global product, and it seems as though Australia is now in the frame for launch, with Toyota trademarking the logo with our patent office at the end of April.

What else do we know about the model tipped to be the most expensive Toyota vehicle in the range? Not much.

According to news site Reuters, the new SUV will be based on a revamped Crown, and could be Toyota's most-expensive SUV offering, sitting above even the Sequoia in the North American market.

Expected to be offered in rear- and all-wheel-drive format, and possibly powered by the petrol V6 i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain from the Toyota Tundra - the logo for which has also recently been trademarked in Australia - the new model is expected to further shrink the gap between the brand's mainstream models and its luxury Lexus equivalents.

It will also be the brand's biggest and most expensive hybrid model, with reports suggesting a conventional hybrid will be first to launch, followed by a plug-in hybrid variant and a full BEV.

All will be revealed soon, so watch this space.