Toyota doesn’t get much fancier than the Century, a full-size sedan at the top of the food chain. The Japan-only model has been around since 1967 and entered its current generation in 2018 to follow the second generation car and its powerful V12. The low-volume saloon is mostly sold to important people in the Land of the Rising Sun and has a starting price of 20 million yen. This works out to $152,000 or €142,000 at the current exchange rate.
A new report from Japan The best car The magazine claims that Toyota is preparing to launch an SUV version of the century. Take the report with the proverbial grain of salt, but the outlet believes it will be based on the Highlander. However, it is said to be longer than the donor vehicle and has two rows of seating with plenty of legroom for rear passengers.
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The high-riding Century is believed to stretch to 5.2 meters (204.7 in), which would make it longer than a Land Cruiser. A larger wheelbase of 3 meters (118.1 inches) has been developed, so a very spacious interior is expected. Toyota’s absolute flagship SUV is rumored to be 1,950 mm (76.7 in) wide and 1,750 mm (68.9 in) long, weighing around 2,200 kg (4,850 lb).
Power may come from a 3.5-liter V6 engine inherited from the Lexus LC 500h and LS 500h. Toyota also plans to sell the Century SUV with a hybrid powertrain and an electric motor at the rear. There are apparently no plans to put the sedan’s 5.0-liter V8 into the new derivative, which The best car They believe that instead of becoming a driver-driven vehicle like a sedan, they will be driven by their owners.
It is said to cost between 10 and 15 million yen, so $75,800 to $114,000 (€70,600 to €106,000). Toyota reportedly plans to sell the Century SUV at home in Japan by mid-2023, with no details on the vehicle’s potential export to other markets. While the idea of giving a sport utility vehicle a fictitious name may seem sacrilegious, let’s keep in mind that there is now an entire family of Crown models in Japan.