Closing month, Toyota did the unthinkable by way of turning the Century into an SUV as an addition to the lineup sitting along the normal sedan. It prices the identical of roughly $167,000 at present change charges and is to be had best in Japan the place you’ll purchase a Land Cruiser 300 for as little as $34,000. In spite of wearing an exorbitant asking value, the corporate’s chairman thinks the high-riding Century will trap in more youthful patrons.

In a piece of writing printed by way of the Toyota Occasions respectable mag, Akio Toyoda mentioned the Century SUV “may also go well with more youthful folks” in addition to the ones “who up to now felt {that a} Century [sedan] used to be now not for them.” The previous corporate president and CEO went on to say the brand new flagship represents “the highest top class, chauffeur-driven automotive now not simply inside of Toyota however in Japan.”

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Akio Toyota remembers how the chief parking space at Toyota HQ within the Land of the Emerging Solar used to have “not anything however Centuries” again within the day however the instances have modified. These days, one of the higher-ups wish to be chauffeured in Alphards and Vellfires. When the 2 minivans had been presented as next-generation fashions in the second one part of June, Toyota took the chance to tease the Century SUV ahead of unveiling the luxobarge in early September.

It continues to be noticed what number of kids in Japan will be capable to shell out this type of cash for the poshest Toyota SUV thus far. The automobile is obtainable in a couple of configurations, together with a sporty GRMN variant and one with electrically sliding rear doorways. A bonkers four-door convertible has already been teased, with Toyota Leader Branding Officer Simon Humphries announcing that “the probabilities are unending and open to dialogue” so far as customizing the Century on stilts.

Without reference to model, those Century SUVs is not going to elevate the Toyota badge. As is the case with the namesake sedan, the acquainted emblem is changed with a gold phoenix motif as a nod to the Imperial Area of Japan. The saloon has had this image because the first technology introduced again in 1967.

Handiest Century Meisters, “a gaggle of gross sales and engineers with in depth wisdom of the Century logo” discovered at choose sellers are promoting the Century fashions.