Since 1967, the Toyota Century has been the Japanese marque’s flagship saloon for the domestic market, mostly targeting rich entrepreneurs and high-ranking officials. But the times change, and the next generation of the car is scheduled to become an SUV. Nikkei has just reported that Toyota plans a launch in August 2023.
Anonymous sources say the new car will be positioned as a more upmarket and expensive vehicle than the latest Land Cruiser 300. The starting price is estimated at ¥15,000,000 (around $115,000).
For the platform, the automaker may want to reuse the chassis of the Grand Highlander SUV it introduced the other day. The latter is a US-only release not meant for production outside of North America, but the Century might reach the assembly lines of the Toyota factory in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, where various Lexus models are made.
The sheer size of the Grand Highlander platform would enable the engineering team to implement a spacious interior with enough room in the back for a couple of V.I.P.s, just like the Bentley Bentayga or the Rolls-Royce Cullinan.