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Toyota Century

In Japan, the Toyota Century serves as Toyota's flagship vehicle; elsewhere, the unrelated Lexus LS series is Toyota's flagship luxury model. The Toyota Century (Japanese:, Hepburn: Toyota Senchur) is a range of full-size luxury automobiles and limos produced primarily for the Japanese market. The Century was first produced in 1967, and until its redesigns in 1997 and 2018 it saw only modest revisions.

Toyota Century

The Century took its name from Sakichi Toyoda, who founded Toyota Industries and celebrated his 100th birthday on 14 February 1867. The Japanese Prime Minister, the Imperial Palace, key government officials, and top business executives frequently use it. The Austin Princess/Daimler DS420, Cadillac Series 70, Mercedes-Benz 600 series, Chinese Red Flag, Rolls-Royce, and Russian ZIS/ZIL limousines are equivalent to the Century in terms of its intended use.

Up to a complete platform overhaul in 1997, the first-generation Century was the first post-war Japanese-built sedan to be introduced with solely a V8 engine. Up until 2018, the second generation's powertrain was exclusively a V12 engine that Toyota created and produced specifically for the Century; however, with the advent of Toyota's hybrid technology, the powertrain was switched back to a V8.

The Century is a full-size premium luxury sedan, although it can only be purchased at certain Toyota Store locations and is not offered at Japanese Lexus dealerships. The H' (or Fushich) from Sinospheric mythology, which stands in for the Imperial House of Japan, is the name of the golden phoenix used throughout. The picture may be seen across Asia, including the Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto.

With a few revisions, the Century's external style hasn't altered much since it was first introduced, mostly because it's seen as a symbol of conservative prosperity. Its design is recognizable across Asia and is often painted black. The Nissan President, a car with a comparable status reputation and the closest Japanese rival, also shared top market placement with the Mitsubishi Debonair in the 1960s and 1970s. Two additional Japanese rivals launched huge sedans in the 1970s, the Isuzu Statesman de Ville and the Mazda Roadpacer (both adapted from GM-Australia models), but they didn't last long.


Century | Vehicle Gallery | Toyota Brand | Mobility
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