Supercars of Hong Kong. Toyota Century a rare V12 Sedan Spotted in Central District

The Toyota Century is a very hard to find car. It is a 12V sedan used by the Emperor of Japan, and several heads of state. This is one of the handful circulating in Hong Kong and was spotted in Central district.

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First generation (1967–1997)

The original Century was based on the 1964 Crown Eight, which featured the 2.6 L V8 Toyota 3V engine, and appeared almost two years after the October 1965 introduction of the Nissan President with a 4.0 L V8. The 1967 Century was equipped with an upgraded version of the Crown Eight engine, the 3.0 L 3V. 1973 saw the introduction of the 3.4 L 4V-U, and the engine was once again changed to the 4.0 L 5V-EU in 1982, with the installation of fuel injection, and the installation of emission control technology Toyota called "TTC". Note that the 3V, 4V-U, and 5V-EU do not refer to the number of valves in the engine but simply denote model names in the Toyota V engine range.

In 1971, automatic climate control became available, at that time a very innovative feature.

The first generation Century remained largely untouched during its impressively long 30-year production run, apart from minor cosmetic changes and engine upgrades. The Century was produced in limited numbers and was built in a "nearly hand-made" fashion. It is often used by the imperial family, the Prime Minister of Japan, senior government leaders, and high level executive businessmen. The Century is comparable in purpose to the Austin Princess/Daimler DS420, ZIS/ZIL, Chinese Red Flag, and Rolls-Royce limousines.

1982 VG40 Century

For model year 1982, the Century received its first model change, updating the entire vehicle inside and out, and installing a larger engine. It is this appearance that has virtually remained unchanged to the current version, as the appearance of the Century introduced in 1982 is very much desired of its clientele. A fiber-optic multiplexing communications system was installed.

During Japan's Bubble Economy, sales of the Century doubled (from 1,027 in 1985 to 2,117 in 1989). But even the Century wasn't enough for these heady days of luxury, and in October 1989 the Century Limousine appeared. This was 650 mm  longer for an overall length of 5,770 mm, on a 3,510 mm wheelbase, approximately the same dimensions as a Cadillac de Ville series, Lincoln Town Car, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, or a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit. The Limousine also received a standard padded vinyl roof and an opera window in the centre pillar, where the stretch was placed. It also uses 150 mm wider rear doors, for a more balanced design and ease of entry. An annual production of 60 was planned. As of September 1990 there was also an L-type stretched version of the Century — length is 5,270 mm with a wheelbase of 3,010 mm; this model uses the same larger rear doors as were fitted to the Century Limousine.

A Toyota Century with a GT45 gas turbine and electric motor was shown as the Century gas turbine hybrid concept vehicle at the 1975 Tokyo Motor Show.

Second generation

The Century received a complete redesign in April 1997, although the new model was visually very similar to the previous generation. This current model is powered by a 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp) 5.0 L 1GZ-FE V12, initially with a 4-speed automatic, until a 6-speed "intelligent" transmission arrived in 2005. It also features air suspension. The Century remains the first and only Japanese front-engine, rear-wheel drive production car equipped with a V12, and it is Toyota's first V12 engine. As this is a top level luxury flagship, private owners are comfortable with the yearly road tax bill.

The Century was Toyota's most luxurious model at its inception in 1967, and maintained this status throughout the 20th century. Today, it is positioned above the Lexus line-up, and remains the most luxurious and prestigious model to wear the Toyota badge. The Century is distinguished by different paint options than the rest of the Toyota line-up. The Century shares the role of flagship with the Toyota Crown Majesta with almost identical dimensions to the Century but with a more modern approach and appearance that appeals to younger buyers, and both vehicles are exclusive to the Toyota Store dealership network in Japan.

Like other cars in the top of the luxury class, the Century is designed with the rear passengers in mind. Hence, the rear seats recline and the front passenger seat has a fold-down center section so that a passenger in the back may stretch his feet forward. The rear seats are equipped with a massage system. The exterior door handles open the doors electrically since the sound of the door being opened mechanically is perceived as being "too obtrusive". The doors do not need to be closed directly, instead the door only needs to contact the latch, causing the door to pull itself completely closed electrically.

The vehicles' interiors are usually ordered in wool cloth, rather than the leather seen in many luxury cars; leather is not as quiet as cloth when sat upon. The vehicle can be ordered in any color the purchaser desires, however, they are usually medium brown, burgundy or royal blue inside, with black exterior paint. Vehicles primarily intended for livery service usually have leather interiors in gray, for easier interior cleaning and durability. White lace curtains are usually installed in the rear window, instead of tinted windows, which are perceived to attract unwarranted attention. The passengers usually like to be seen in a Century, despite Asian tendencies for modesty.

The Century is priced at ¥11,445,000 (approximately US$100,000 as of 2009). In comparison, the base price for the full-size luxury 2008 Lexus LS 460 is approximately ¥10,000,000 (US$87,000), with the LS 600h L at ¥15,000,000 (US$125,800).

In year 2006, the G-BOOK vehicle telematics subscription service was added to the list of standard features.

Although the Century is not exported outside Japan in large numbers, it is used frequently by officials stationed in overseas Japanese offices and embassies.

In contrast to other luxurious cars (such as the Maybach or Rolls-Royce), the Century has not been positioned and marketed as a sign of wealth or excess. Marketing literature states roughly that, "the Century is acquired through persistent work, the kind that is done in a plain but formal suit."