After 56 years, Toyota is ready to add a second Century model to its line-up. This one is only for Japan, but since the Crown is now in the U.S., can we dream about a Century for the U.S. market? This new Century will probably be a crossover instead of a straight competitor to a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. On September 6, at 12:30 a.m. E.T., you can watch the first episode. Before becoming Emperor of Japan in 2019, Crown Prince Naruhito lived in a place that was almost as important: the back seat of a Toyota. Especially that of a Toyota Century, a car that has long been compared to Japan’s Imperial Palace. Since 1967, only three types of high-end Century limousines have been built by hand Used for a while. This is changing now that Toyota is making another model in the category of brand-ultimate luxury vehicles. After Toyota’s chief branding officer Simon Humphries showed a projected outline of a Century SUV at the launch of the Toyota Alphard minivan, it seems likely that a Century SUV will be made. The most current teaser picture shows a white-gloved chauffeur opening the door of a clean, squared-off crossover that looks like a modern Century sedan. An Effect That Lasts Here’s a look at the type to help you see why an SUV/crossover with the Century’s Phoenix logo is a good choice. The first-generation Century, which came out in 1967 as a big V-8 sedan, you got only the most minor changes for nearly 30 years. You might have been taken back in time if you were the conservative Japanese CEO who sent the racing-obsessed Yutaka Katayama to the young U.S. market to sink or swim. You would have been in a Nissan, but the point still stands. The Century didn’t look like much, but it was intense. The second-generation Century was similar to the first one in many ways. Still, it was the only production car in Japan with a V-12 engine, so it didn’t get the name “bubble economy Toyota engineering.” The first ones came to the United States in 1997 and are great cars to drive. Think about the elegant smell of a Rolls-Royce, made by skilled takumi who chamfer the body panels by hand based only on how they feel and has tech from the Mk IV Supra Turbo team. It is still made by hand, but now a mix The Lexus LS600h and the current Century share the same 5.0-liter V-8 hybrid engine. Because of this, it doesn’t feel nearly as unique, but the car has a handcrafted quality and is only available in Japan. Only 50 cars are made each month. There is, of course, a long list of people who want to get in. For a different kind of luxury, sink into the soft wool fabric of a Century. It doesn’t creak in the stifling heat of Tokyo and breathes better than leather. The Century has a quiet elegance that is hard to find in luxury cars today. It’s more flashy than a Maybach or Bentley. Even though Akio Toyoda was in charge of making a G.R. model with more obvious performance gains, this was not the norm. What is known at the Moment? Even though the September 6 reveal will happen just after midnight in the United States because of the time zone difference, information about the new Century SUV has yet to be leaked. However, a Japanese magazine called CarMoby has seen prototypes that have been covered up. Japanese sources say that the new Century will share a platform with the Toyota Grand Highlander, also the Alphard minivan’s base. This requires a design with front-wheel drive and an engine placed in the middle, which would be hard to sell in the luxury market. Given that the Century is a chauffeured livery car, it may be a hybrid, and Toyota may be able to hide any commoner roots with a lot of handcrafted quality. You just moved here? Overthinking? The idea of a Century is more appealing on this side of the Pacific. Toyota did something different when it brought the Crown car to North America. The crossover market would have been a better choice. Even though Lexus is making the TX, which is based on the Grand Highlander, there is a high-end Toyota SUV that doesn’t have a L on the front. No matter the reason, the fact that the Century number is growing after being the same for more than 60 years shows that some traditions, like Emperor Naruhito himself, are ready to change. You can now buy a second-generation V-12 Century on Bring a Trailer, but the bid ends on September 6. If the shaking is only happening in Japan, keep an eye out for any second-generation V-12 Centurys that come up for sale at markets outside Japan. Even if you’re getting Japanese food to go, they’ll treat you like a prince.
