Toyota's Century SUV Gets Coupe-ified As It Transitions To A True Rolls-Royce Rival

Ahead of being showcased at the Japan Mobility Show at the end of October, the ultra-luxury Rolls-Royce-rivaling sub-brand has given the world an early glimpse of the new variant, but hasn't made it clear whether this will be a production variant or not. The minisite set up for Toyota's JMS showcase uses the phrase "one of one," but in a casual interview with Akio Toyoda, the exec dodges questions on what the new variant means for Century going forward.

'One Of One' Might Mean Something Very Different
In the interview, Toyota's chief designer, Simon Humphreys, talks us through the ad spot, including the history of the Century brand. He mentions the phrase "one of one" as being a point of pride for the Century brand and the Japanese people, meaning "not being the same" or being "incomparable" to anything else, which has been a foundational element of the Century sub-brand.

Despite being a Toyota, the Century was unlike any other, from its V12 engine to its Rolls-Royce rivaling stature in years gone by. It's been the only Toyota marque to feature a V12 and a V8, and the SUV announced a few years ago debuted as the ultimate expression of customization, with a GRMN version showcased at launch sporting sliding doors on an SUV. So 'one of one' is actually a reference to the unique level of luxury for the Century brand.

If this is the case, then this new Century Coupe is likely to be the third variant of the Century sub-brand. However, it's just a concept for now, and exuberant details like the forward-sliding doors definitely won't make it into production.

And a true sub-brand it will be...

Century Taking A More Prominent Role In Toyota's Future
In the build-up to today's announcements, Toyota's teaser site showcased the five logos of its brands (Toyota, Lexus, Century, Gazoo Racing, and Daihatsu) together, but made a big deal of the fact that the Century phoenix logo had to be repositioned centrally after demands from Akio Toyoda himself. Well, now we know why. Toyota wants to position Century as its leading light from a luxury standpoint, something to show off and be proud of, a luxury halo that may yet escape beyond Japanese borders.

And this will have big knock-on effects for the other brands, specifically Lexus. "Lexus's movements will be more free," says Humphreys, suggesting it will "keep trying things as a pioneer," which is what it was when founded in the 1980s as an ambitious luxury expansion of Toyota to conquer the US market.

Exactly what ramifications this will have remain to be seen, but with the Century lineup expanding - albeit remaining a low-volume brand overall - we wouldn't be surprised to see the phoenix badge appearing in more markets outside of Japan soon.