Toyota positions ‘Century’ as company’s new luxe division

MANILA: Toyota Motor Company’s Century line has emerged as its newest ultra-luxury division. 

Such a development allowed the then nameplate to be on top of Lexus while the latter continues to compete in the premium section.

According to the company, such a development only gave the latter more freedom to focus on innovation.

Origin story: pride of Japan 

The original Toyota Century car was developed by none other than Shoichiro Toyoda and Toyota’s first Chief Engineer Kenya Nakamura. 

It was built to be a car that Toyota can “proudly show on the world stage,” and a car that will “continue to inspire all those who see it.”

“The pride of Japan,” Akio Toyoda said during the Century presentation. 

As such, the development of the Toyota Century involved the latest technology combined with traditional skills (such as Edo metal engraving on the phoenix emblem and Nishijin-ori brocade for the seat fabric), imbued with the human spirit and essence. 

Toyota Century cars also improved in every generation, whether it was better straight-line stability on the highway or making sure the car could handle a stiff crosswind. 

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Century today: continuing a legacy 

Today, the Century is upgraded from simply a model line to a sub-brand of its own. Now just called Century, it is available in three body types: a formal sedan, a business-casual sport utility vehicle, and a new coupe. 

Here are the newest model’s notable features: 

Outside, the Century coupe wears a fiery scarlet exterior color, which is said to be a traditional Japanese hue that evokes the legendary Asian firebird, ho’o. As briefly mentioned earlier, it also flaunts aspects of Japanese tradition and culture, such as the Edo metal engraving on the badge and Nishijin-ori brocade for the seat upholstery.

Despite the coupe styling, this Century remains a chauffeur-driven automobile with a three-seater layout with fully reclining seats. 

The partition between the driver’s and passenger seats resembles threads on a loom, symbolizing the invention that is Toyota’s roots. The passenger side features sliding doors that open to the front and rear, allowing easy ingress and egress. 

While the Century coupe looks like a delightful ride for those taking the backseat, it also appears to be a fun experience for the person sitting behind the wheel.

Features include: 

• Steering wheel with an F1-inspired design 
• Modern-looking instrument cluster 
• Luxurious bucket-type seating 
• Ambient lighting 
• Soft-touch surfaces 

Bolder Lexus 

With the duty of producing more conservative models falling onto Century’s lap, Lexus has been given a free rein in designing and manufacturing more fun cars. 

This is evident in the new prototypes released by the sub-brand in the recent Japan Mobility Show, with models like the six-wheeler LS Concept. 

Lexus’ Sports and Coupe Concept cars also look more adventurous, yet still retain their classy roots. 

Seeing how Lexus will transform and how Century will elevate Toyota’s future is exciting. 

Like many established Japanese manufacturers, the company has faced challenges in the form of growing players from other countries. And the introduction of the new ultra-luxe sub-brand appears to make the marque’s future more promising. After all, the people behind Century are “eager to demonstrate the power of Japanese monozukuri and the country’s auto industry, to the rest of the world.” 

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