Toyota has turned Century into its own brand, placing it higher than Lexus and steering it into Rolls-Royce and Bentley territory.
It promises fully bespoke, one-off creations, starting with an extravagant coupe unveiled at the Japan Mobility Show.
The car doesn’t even have a name yet. It’s unclear if this is a concept or a production model. It appears somewhere in between.
The lavish coupe borrows dual headlights from the Century SUV, but the similarities end there.
It comes across as an imposingly large machine, essentially Japan’s answer to the Rolls-Royce Spectre. A fastback shape paired with a raised ride height creates a unique silhouette.
Hood vents suggest a combustion engine rather than full electric. The existing Century sedan uses a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8.
The SUV employs a plug-in hybrid V6. Don’t expect the V12 to return.
Toyota only offered that on the second-generation sedan from 1997 to 2017.
A four-seat layout is featured inside, along with a compact and smartphone-like infotainment screen.
A central ridge bisects both front and rear seats. The lack of B-pillars eases rear access.
The door configuration is asymmetric like the Hyundai Veloster. Two sliding doors sit on the passenger side with just one on the driver side.
The rear passenger seat appears to swivel outwards with the giant electric door.
Maximum legroom goes to the passenger side. This car can be driven by the owner or chauffeured. The single driver seat setup makes that clear.
No rear window appears in the fastback design, though the final production version will likely tone things down with conventional doors, mirrors, and B-pillars.
Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda personally unveiled the car. He pointed out that Century did not have such a clearly defined place in the past but now stands as top of the top, one of one.
The name represents the hundredth anniversary of the Meiji era and the birth of Sakichi Toyoda, the Toyota Group founder. For Toyoda, it’s about creating the next one hundred years.
Japanese craftsmanship dominates the interior approach.
The wood, woven textiles, and glass inside all nod to unique Japanese traditions rather than copying dense woods and knurled switchgear from British ultra-luxury brands.
This separation allows Lexus to pursue different directions, potentially including the six-wheeled LS concept and hopefully an LFA successor.
Century has held the title of Japan’s top luxury automobile for decades.
The vehicle operated as a sedan since its 1967 introduction while it mainly served domestic markets for government officials and business elites.
Things shifted in 2023 when Toyota branched out with an SUV.
Now Century distances itself from Toyota completely, establishing its own identity at the pinnacle of Japanese luxury.
