Toyota had a couple of pretty cars at this years Tokyo Motor Show but this was the one that definitely caught our eye. This is the third generation of the Toyota Century, a Japanese equivalent and possible rival to the likes of the Mercedes S-Class, 7 Series Beemers and Audi A8s, in terms of a luxurious experience.
The new Century is longer and roomier, standing 5335mm in length where the wheelbase itself is 3090mm long. In terms of appearances, the exterior is fittingly restrained and regal in presence with its sizeable vertical grille. The emblem on said grille is hand-carved. The interiors offer the usual bits and bobs like the step-less, adjustable leg-rest and massaging rear seats, few screens, a rear seat entertainment system and premium furnishings tailored to one’s needs. But to trump the Germans that spoil one with fantastic leather, the Century’s premium-upholstery-material list includes 100% wool, for that uber comfortable ride, especially with the air suspension setup. It has a decent amount of tech too for avoiding crashes and blind-spot warnings, but no AI autonomous stuff yet.
Toyota’s luxury limo is also a hybrid, albeit in combination with a 5.0-litre V8 engine. That’s actually a downsizing effect as the second-gen was powered by a rather special V12, the only Japanese production V12 as it happens. Not that we knew of the Century earlier, but it’s always a bit sad to lose a naturally-aspirated twelve-cylinder engine to a smaller one. Its unlikely to be sold outside of Japan at all, which is a bit disappointing because we would have really liked to see a few of these on our roads.
Take a closer look at the new Toyota Century which will hit stores in Japan in 2018:
The Auto Loons 