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Long coveted by society’s elite in Toyota’s home market, the Century sub-brand may soon break beyond the borders of Japan to serve wealthy clientele around the world.
OK, this probably isn’t especially surprising given the teaser images that were recently released of the Century coupe concept. And it’s been a couple years since the Century SUV launched with its sights set on the Chinese market. But the automaker made its ambitions even more clear at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, with Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda taking the stage to announce the effort to go global with Century as its own brand.
“We want to cultivate it as a brand that brings the spirit of Japan — the pride of Japan — out into the world,” Toyoda said in his remarks at the auto show.
Officially, the line from Toyota Canada is that the viability of the brand is being studied, but anyone willing to wager might want to look to 2027 as a potential launch year for the first Century models to make it to our shores.
Of course, this is entirely guesswork, but that would mark 60 years since the Century sedan was first introduced in Japan — a car that’s quietly transformed through the years into something that’s capable of going head-to-head with the likes of Rolls-Royce in terms of comfort, quality, and amenities.
Helping Toyoda usher in this new era for the ultra-luxury marque was a stunning Century coupe concept that can turn heads with the best of them. With Rolls-Royce Spectre vibes as far as its overall shape and silhouette, the two-door makes a serious visual statement.
Toyota reps said the interior space puts the passenger first, just as the Century sedan and SUV models do, although in this case, it’s all a touch on the unrealistic side. Even so, it will be interesting to see how the plan for the Century brand comes together.
