Magnificent Toyota Century Coupe revealed as Japan prepares to take on Rolls-Royce
Does Toyota’s Century brand have the history to rival Britain’s best luxury car badges? The bosses certainly think so…
Toyota – maker of solid, sensible and reliable cars – is planning to go after the likes of Mercedes, Bentley and even Rolls-Royce. Not with a leather and wood-lined Corolla, but by launching a new ultra-luxury sub-brand called Century.
The opulent new Century Coupe concept revealed at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show offers us a glimpse of what’s to come from the pinnacle of Japanese luxury, which will sit above Toyota’s other premium arm, Lexus.
“Century is not just another brand within the Toyota Motor Corporation,” Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda said when unveiling the new concept at the Tokyo event. “We want to cultivate it as a brand that brings the spirit of Japan – the pride of Japan – out into the world.”
Century isn’t just a random name. The Toyota Century is a luxury saloon first launched in 1967 that was designed for Japanese dignitaries. It was built in low volumes and traditionally was sold exclusively in the brand’s home market.
The current third-generation Century saloon is just as exclusive, and even features a twin-turbo V8 engine that’s unique to it. In recent years, Century has branched out with the introduction of an SUV that appeals to younger buyers, but these two models still in effect operate under Toyota. This is what’s about to change.
The Century brand will now operate independently, producing ultra-luxurious models still in low volumes. According to Toyota’s chief branding officer Simon Humphreys, new Century cars will “take on the high-end market as the top of the top, one of one”. That suggests to us that, as with many luxury car makers, Century will put a lot of emphasis on customer personalisation.
What does the future of Century look like?
However, we don’t yet know if or when Century cars will come to Europe, or what its future plans are. The new high-riding coupe-like concept – which looks undeniably similar to the Bentley EXP15 concept we saw earlier this year – gives us some idea though.
That said, we don’t know all that much about the Century Coupe. It’s possible there's a silky smooth V8 or V12 engine underneath its impossibly long bonnet, although we wouldn’t be surprised if it’s actually electric, given the fact Rolls-Royce and Bentley are both doing EVs now.
The concept’s silhouette is suitably extravagant, with its upright grille, rearward cabin and elegant roofline. The phoenix has been the symbol of Toyota’s Century cars for the past six decades, and there are plenty of emblems dotted around the concept, too.
It appears the Century Coupe is only a two-seater, with the driver essentially walled off from the car’s other occupant, suggesting this has been designed to have a chauffeur at the helm. Meanwhile, the sliding doors on the passenger side should make getting in and out of the car as effortless as possible.
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