The Crown entered its 11th generation with the 4-door hardtop model released in September 1999, although the Crown sedans only underwent minor changes and did not join the new model generation at the time. With this changeover, the pillared 4-door hardtop body was discontinued after six model generations, in favor of a more conventional sedan body with sash doors. The center pillars were blacked out, however, to retain the characteristically wide-windowed appearance of a hardtop. The Athlete subname was revived after an interval of eight years, and the model line was divided into the Royal series and the sporty Athlete series. The models came either in a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive (FR) or a full-time 4-wheel-drive layout.

The choice of engines included 2,500 cc (naturally aspirated and turbocharged) and 3,000 cc inline 6-cylinder DOHC 24-valve engines, and FR models could also be fitted with a newly developed 3,000 cc D-4 direct injection engine.