Introduction
Toyota’s flagship vehicle in Japan, the full-size luxury sedan and limousine lineup known as the Toyota Century is built primarily for the Japanese market; internationally, Toyota’s flagship luxury model is the unrelated Lexus LS series. The Century was first put into production in 1967, and until its redesigns in 1997 and 2018, it had relatively modest modifications.
Despite being a high-end, full-size luxury sedan, the Century is exclusively offered in Toyota Store locations that have been designated; however, Japanese Lexus dealerships do not carry it. Moreso, The gold phoenix emblem, known as the Fushichō in Sinospheric mythology, symbolizes the Imperial House of Japan and may be found around Asia, including Kyoto’s Kinkaku-ji.
When the first-generation Century was introduced in 1967, it was the only post-war Japanese sedan to be offered with a V8 engine. This changed in 1997 with the complete redesign of the platform. Up until 2018, the second generation’s engine was limited to a V12 that Toyota created and manufactured specifically for the Century. However, With the advent of Toyota’s hybrid technology, the powertrain was then changed back to a V8.
The New Century
On September 6, 2023, the SUV vehicle with the Century nameplate was revealed. It is constructed on the GA-K chassis, which uses front-wheel drive.
The all-new Century SUV has nearly comparable levels of luxury and plushness to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, but it will retail for less than half as much. The Cullinan has a 6.7-liter V12 engine, while the Century SUV has a 3.5-liter plug-in hybrid engine. Yes, the Century SUV will retail for approximately 25 million yen, or roughly $170,000 using the current exchange rate, while the Cullinan has a starting price of approximately $390,000.
Toyota claims that the market for chauffeur-driven vehicles has changed recently as customers look for ways to “utilize” their time while traveling, such as taking breaks or taking part in virtual meetings. Because of this, the firm made the decision to create a new model, embracing the SUV posture as a Japanese rival to vehicles like the Bentley Bentayga and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
Design and Interior
Toyota’s 406-hp 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid powertrain, which combines all-wheel drive and four-wheel steering, powers the 2.6-ton Century SUV. With two massive captain’s chairs, the SUV can accommodate four people instead of five, as the limousine can. Toyota has obviously prioritized providing lots of luxury and space for rear-seat passengers, as well as making getting in and out of the vehicle straightforward. There’s a handy side step and the doors open to an exceptionally broad 75-degree angle.
A pair of 11.6-inch screens, a chilled section, two touchscreen controls akin to those on a smartphone, ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, and an advanced audio system influenced by manufacturing processes for musical instruments are also available to rear passengers. The front digital cockpit has two 12.3-inch screens, and all of the interior surfaces are made of premium materials.
Image Source: Toyota.com
Architectural Design
With dimensions of 5,205 mm (204.9 inches) in length, 1,990 mm (78.3 inches) in width, and 1,805 mm (71.1 inches) in height, the Century SUV is somewhat shorter than the US-spec Sequoia but longer than the Land Cruiser. However, the wheelbase, which measures 2,950 mm (116.1 inches), is almost the same as that of the Lexus TX and the Toyota Grand Highlander, both of which share the same TNGA-K design.
A 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid powerplant under the hood powers all four wheels through the E-Four Advanced AWD system and an e-CVT gearbox. According to Toyota, this combination generates 406 horsepower (303 kW / 412 PS) and has a range of up to 69 kilometers (43 miles) without emitting any emissions. Although the V6’s sound may not be as spectacular as that of the magnificent V12 in earlier incarnations or the V8 in the current Century sedan, it does enable the SUV to operate as a quiet BEV in urban settings and switch to a hybrid when traveling longer distances on the highway.
