By PH Staff \/ Wednesday, 6 September 2023 \/ Loading comments<\/p>\n
Everyone knows about the Toyota Century. Or at least everyone with a passing interest in the wonderful oasis of odd that is the JDM. The first Century was introduced back in 1967, launched to mark the centenary of the birth of Toyota\u2019s founder, Sakichi Toyoda. The car was intended to encapsulate both Japanese tradition and innovation, and marked the firm\u2019s arrival in the luxury segment. To say it poured its heart into the project is something of an understatement; the model\u2019s fastidious attention to detail and timeworn sense of elegance is legendary, to the extent that Toyota very infrequently tampers with the recipe. <\/p>\n
Until now that is. \u2018A new chauffeur-driven vehicle to meet the demands of a new age\u2019 is how Toyota describes the first-ever second variant of the hallowed nameplate, a hulking plug-in hybrid SUV. At the unveiling, Simon Humphries, a man credited with about 18 jobs including Senior General Manager of Design, credited the \u2018completely new direction\u2019 to Akio Toyoda, who felt that the famously stoic saloon needed to move with the times. The result is claimed to still be \u2018very much a Century\u2019 and worthy of standing with the saloon at the apex of Toyota\u2019s lineup. <\/p>\n
So what does a Japanese statesman get? Well, you can take the design in for yourself. Like its namesake, \u2018stately grandeur\u2019 is what its makers were aiming for – and that\u2019s a famously tough nut to crack. Especially when applied to an SUV (see the Rolls-Royce Cullinan for evidence). It\u2019s fair to say the original Century was something to be appreciated rather than adored when it came to exterior styling; the new model probably requires even more allowances for the Japanese way of doing things, but rest assured those vertical lines and enormous rear doors – that open the conventional way as standard, but to a wider 75-degree angle – are no mistake. As before, the new Century is about supreme usability as much as anything. <\/p>\n
Accordingly, while the SUV shape is obviously intended to appeal to a world transfixed by luxury SUVs, it is the cavernous interior that is meant to mark the taller Century out from the saloon. Toyota wants its powerfully built directors to step into an oasis of calm, whether its via ease of access – the car comes with automatically retractable \u2018power steps\u2019 and easy-to-grab C pillar grips, not to mention what looks like the option of sliding rear doors – or simply by getting comfy on the fully reclinable seats behind electrochromatic glass. Apparently no effort has been spared in creating a \u2018cocoon-like environment\u2019 and that includes an audio system that \u2018taps into Japan’s experience in creating some of the world’s finest musical instruments\u2019. <\/p>\n
Upfront, the dashboard appears somewhat less thrilling, although that\u2019s by-the-by in a Century – let the chauffeur eat cake etc. At any rate, driving the new model ought to be a doddle: Toyota has invested in a newly developed 3.5-litre V6 plug-in hybrid drivetrain to power a car that weighs 200kg more than the saloon. No word on output for now, but a ‘powerful and exhilarating’ drive is promised. While the saloon is powered by a 5.0-litre V8 (albeit hybridised in the current version) the manufacturer insists that the familiar \u2018BEV for everyday use and as an HEV for long-distance travel\u2019 advantages of its new configuration is ideal for a chauffeur-driven vehicle. <\/p>\n
Certainly, it\u2019s likely to aid rolling refinement, and – as ever – that\u2019s a core target for the Century. Not only does the car boast four-wheel steering and all-wheel drive, it also gets a \u2018Rear Comfort\u2019 mode that specifically targets the contentment of those in the back (to the extent that it assists braking control to avoid any nasty jolts when coming to a halt). Additionally, Toyota claims to developed a new \u2018luggage compartment separate structure\u2019 that includes noise-reducing clear laminated glass on the cabin side to achieve \u2018astounding quietness\u2019. If that\u2019s true, expect the firm to easily achieve its 30-units-per-month sales target in Japan, even with a starting price of 25,000,000 yen (around \u00a3135k). <\/p>\n