Would the Toyota Century Sell in the States?

Stately as heck

This is a Toyota but we figured it deserves a place on Club Lexus since it is, in fact, the cream of the crop when it comes to the brand as a whole. It's the Toyota Century and it is the car that shuttles prime ministers and respected dignitaries, and it was the vehicle of choice for the emperor of Japan back in the 70's. If you live outside of Japan the chances of hearing about this car are slim and that's a shame because this is essentially the JDM answer to the S-Class Mercedes. The car has been around since 1967 but has had such long cycles that it is just now entering its third generation with the model you see above. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2018 Toyota Century right here in the forum.

Where is the power coming from?

The first gen of the Century went from 1967 to 1997 and came with a variety of V8 powerplants under the roof. The second gen of the car saw the debut of Toyota's very first V12 engine. This model has the distinction of being the only front engined, rear wheel drive V12 Japanese car. Just to give you a bit more detail so you can further wrap your wrap around a Toyota with a V12, the engine was a 5.0-Liter putting out 3.5 horsepower. However, with this new 3rd gen model, the V12 goes bye-bye and gets replaced by a direct injection 5.0-liter V8 mated to a hybrid system. For those stats and specs people out there this is the same configuration that can be found in the LS 600h that we get here in the states. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2018 Toyota Century right here in the forum.

Don't spill anything on the wool

The 3rd gen also sees the car getting a longer wheelbase, wider tracks, and more rear seat passenger room by way of a decrease in the space between the scuff plate and the floor. The seats, like most JDM cars, don't have leather upholstery. Instead, they are made from 100% wool. Both rear seats have massage functionality and can recline to a level where you can comfortably put your feet onto the footrests that are on the backs of the front seats. While occupants are relaxing in the back they will have access to all of the car's functions via an LCD center screen. The cabin is dead of night quiet thanks to an active noise control system that kills vibration from the engine and a 20-speaker sound system. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2018 Toyota Century right here in the forum.

Parallel parking difficulty: expert

The exterior of the car is all neoclassical and at over 16 feet long it certainly is an ode to old school Rolls-Royces. The rear pillars are raked less steeply than before and put together with lower sills and the extended wheelbase the car makes for easy ingress and egress from the vehicle. After all, if you're fancy enough to be riding in this you shouldn't have to shimmy and snake your way about the Century. Helping drivers to deal with the long proportions, there is now safety tech of autonomous emergency braking and blind-spot assist. 

>>Join the conversation about the 2018 Toyota Century right here in the forum.

Sigh, another JDM exclusive

Unfortunately, the Century probably won't sell outside of Japan but it could stand to be a Maybach type vehicle for Lexus in the States. The second gen of the car, which ended production in February after a 20-year run, had sold only 8,700 units over its lifespan to put how exclusive this car is in perspective. Pricing isn't out yet as the car will make its debut in the flesh at the Tokyo Auto Show later this month but previous gens sold for 12.53 million yen. I'll save you the trouble of opening a conversion calculator by saying that translates to about $111,300 of your hard-earned money. What do you guys think of this car? After some U.S. consumer mods do you think it would have a chance on the market? 

>>Join the conversation about the 2018 Toyota Century right here in the forum.

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