Toyota Century name has been synonymous with Luxury and Craftsmanship since the late 60’s since the first century was introduced. “Century is to Toyota is what Grand Seiko is to Seiko“. Last word in Japanese craftsmanship and precision.
Toyota Century SUV
Firstly this will be a second model which will fall under the “Century” Umbrella and will sit alongside the Century Sedan. Additionally this upcoming Century SUV will be based on the Toyota Highlander and will be priced above the Land Cruiser. It will have a more subdued ride and will be based on a monocoque architecture rather than the brute and brash Ladder frame chassis seen on the Land Cruiser. A focus on luxury and an optimized chauffeur driven experience for the road is to be expected as it is aimed at Chauffer driven buyers.
Finally It is expected to feature a V8 Hybrid powertrain same as the Century sedan and is set to produce over 400 Horsepower. Moreover considering the overall demand of SUVs Toyota is planning to release it for the Global market unlike the Century sedan which is only available for the Japanese market and is a very low volume affair with only 600 cars made in one year. It will set to go against the likes of Bentley Bentayga, Range Rover and the Rolls Royce Cullinan.
It is expected for a full unveil later this year.
A brief history of Toyota Century
Century name sits on the very top in Toyota’s hierarchy, it is regarded as the most luxurious Toyota product even beating its own over-achieving sibling, Lexus in opulence and status. Japanese Emperor uses a modified Toyota Century. Essentially its a Japanese Rolls-Royce for almost half the price of a Rolls Royce. It was the only Japanese car to ever feature a bespoke V12 engine. However the outgoing Century Sedan has switched to a V8 Hybrid powertrain due to emission regulations. Century is a hand built in a separate factory where quality is prioritized above anything else.
Unique quirks like wool seats real cloth curtains as opposed to leather seats which are optional and conventional blinds have been seen on the Century sedan. Japanese believe wool makes for a more comfortable seating experience. We expect similar unique features in the future too.