While it won’t identify the vehicle by name, this teaser image issued by Toyota Motor Sales previews a car the automaker confirms is a U.S.-designed sedan that features "an elegant yet athletic look" and will have its formal reveal at the 2012 New York Auto Show. While it could portend a completely new model, the car’s apparent scale, source of origin and visual cues seen in a number of recent spy photos point to this mystery vehicle as being the next-generation 2013 Toyota Avalon. If so — and if the rest of the car turns out to be as aggressively styled as the rear quarters — it could mark a huge and most welcome change not only to appearance but to the overall character of Toyota’s historically conservative flagship four-door model. We’ll know for sure next week.
