The Toyota Century is a luxury SUV dubbed the “Rolls-Royce Cullinan of Japan” and was first introduced in September of this year. For Toyota, this luxury SUV is considered a brand icon. It is also Toyota’s first SUV to bear the legendary Century name. Therefore, it is no surprise that Toyota treats the Century with special care compared to its other brand siblings.
According to Toyota, the company has selected 40 skilled workers out of a total of 1,500 employees to assemble the Century at its factory in Tahara, Japan. To secure a position on the assembly line for this luxury SUV, the 40 workers had to undergo rigorous testing.
Hiroki Tanaka, one of the 40 skilled workers chosen by Toyota to produce the Century, said that he had to participate in a mandatory training course and pass a test. This competency test included three parts: assessing basic skills; writing about the history of the Century line, the structure of the vehicle, and related topics; and conducting practical evaluations to demonstrate assembly skills.
Hiroki Tanaka – one of the 40 skilled workers chosen by Toyota to assemble the “Rolls-Royce Cullinan of Japan”
“The written test was more difficult than the practical evaluation because it had 200 questions. However, I passed it by diligently reading books,” Tanaka shared with the Toyota Times magazine. “I learned many things, from the history of Toyota and the Century line to the high-quality manufacturing techniques of this model. It was truly a priceless experience.”
Now 35 years old, Tanaka started working for Toyota in 2007. Initially, he worked on the assembly line of his dream car, the Toyota Land Cruiser. Later, he had the opportunity to buy a Toyota Land Cruiser for himself.
Tanaka’s experience in assembling the chassis of the Toyota Land Cruiser helped him improve his skills and have the opportunity to join the team of 40 people responsible for producing the Century. In the Toyota Century assembly line, Tanaka is responsible for the suspension system. His role is crucial because even a minor mistake can affect the overall driving experience of the vehicle.
Toyota Century assembly line at a factory in Japan
Precision is always a top priority for Toyota. With the Century, precision is taken to an even higher level. “With other models, each screw or bolt is tightened once with a tightening machine,” Tanaka said. “In the Century assembly line, the requirement for accuracy is stricter, so we use clamps to tighten by hand first, then tighten with a tightening machine. Finally, we use a digital torque wrench with force rotation loaded into the computer,” Tanaka shared.
The time it takes to tighten screws and bolts on the Century lasts about 1 minute, 12 times longer than other Toyota models. As a result, Toyota can only produce 3 Century vehicles per day.
The time it takes to tighten screws and bolts on the Toyota Century is 12 times longer than other Toyota models
In the Toyota Century assembly line, the 40 skilled workers are divided into 4 separate areas, including finishing details (instrument panel, panoramic sunroof, etc.); chassis (engine, suspension system, battery, etc.); final finishing (seats, doors, windows, etc.); and adjustment/fluids (engine coolant, braking system, etc.).
Distribution processes for the Toyota Century 2024 are also given special attention. In Japan, not all dealerships are allowed to sell this model. Only dealerships with “Century experts” are eligible to sell this model. In simpler terms, these are sales staff who are well-versed in all details related to the Toyota Century 2024.
Following in the footsteps of Rolls-Royce, Toyota also has a TaylorMade ordering system for the Century line. Through Toyota’s TaylorMade system, customers can customize their Century with personalized details such as Rolls-Royce-like suicide doors or MPV-style sliding doors. Additionally, customers can request Toyota to produce a convertible version of the Century. According to information from dealerships in Japan, customers can also choose materials such as carbon fiber or gold for the construction of the Toyota Century 2024.
In the Japanese market, the Toyota Century 2024 currently has a starting price of 25 million yen (about 4.075 billion dong). This figure could increase significantly with optional equipment or customer-specific orders.
The Century is currently Toyota’s flagship model, more expensive than the Lexus LX 600
For that price, customers will receive a luxury SUV with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that includes a 3.5L naturally aspirated V6 gasoline engine, 2 electric motors, and an e-CVT transmission. The gasoline engine produces a maximum power of 262 horsepower and a maximum torque of 335 Nm. The corresponding figures for the electric motors on the front axle are 182 horsepower and 269 Nm. Meanwhile, the electric motor on the rear axle generates 109 horsepower and 168 Nm. Combined, the vehicle has a power output of up to 406 horsepower, surpassing the V8 gasoline engine of the sedan version.
The Toyota Century 2024 uses a powerful plug-in hybrid powertrain
With 2 electric motors on both axles, the Toyota Century 2024 features E-Four all-wheel drive. In addition, it is equipped with a rear-wheel steering system called Dynamic Rear Steering and a Rear Comfort mode to prevent jerking when coming to a stop, ensuring the comfort of passengers in the rear seats.
