Lexus is a highly successful luxury brand of the Toyota Group, with a strong position in the market and fierce competition with German competitors such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz. However, most buyers still hesitate to spend over $200,000 on a Lexus. To address this issue and expand its customer base, Toyota may introduce a new brand, one that is even more luxurious than Lexus.
According to some sources, Toyota plans to sell its luxury Century model for over $200,000. Therefore, Toyota is currently exploring the possibility of separating Century into a new, super luxurious brand.
For the Japanese, Toyota Century is a true luxury car. However, for customers outside of Japan, the name Toyota Century does not necessarily imply luxury. This could change in the future as Toyota transforms Century into a super luxury brand, competing with Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
According to some sources, Toyota plans to export its luxury SUV, known as the “Japanese Rolls-Royce Cullinan,” to global markets, including the Middle East, Europe, and America. This SUV will serve as the introduction of the Century brand to international customers. Afterward, Century will be established as a sub-brand and used for various other luxury models.
This information was revealed by an anonymous Toyota executive to Forbes reporters at the 2024 Tokyo Auto Salon held in January in Japan. According to this executive, the Century brand will produce even more luxurious and impressive models than Lexus.
This move by Toyota is somewhat risky and reminiscent of gambling. However, it is not the first time that the world’s largest car manufacturer has attempted to enter a higher-end segment with a new brand.
The Toyota Century has a long history, dating back to 1967. At that time, the Century was introduced as a limousine and specifically served customers with private drivers.
Initially, the Toyota Century used V8 gasoline engines, with the option of a V12 engine added later. Recently, this model has switched to hybrid engines with a V8 petrol engine.
Over time, the Toyota Century has only had three generations. With the fourth generation, this model added a large-sized SUV version. This luxury SUV was built by a select group of 40 engineers. The time it takes to tighten the screws and bolts of the Century is about 1 minute, 12 times longer than other Toyota models. Therefore, Toyota can only produce 3 Century cars per day.
Toyota Century sedan version (black) and SUV
Not only in production but even the distribution process of the Toyota Century 2024 model received special attention. In Japan, not every dealership can sell this model. Only dealerships with “Century experts” can sell this model. In other words, these are sales staff who are knowledgeable about all the details related to the Toyota Century 2024.
Following in the footsteps of Rolls-Royce, Toyota also has a TaylorMade ordering system for this Century model. Through Toyota’s TaylorMade system, customers can order a Century with personalized details, such as Rolls-Royce-like suicide doors or MPV-style suicide doors. Moreover, customers can request Toyota to produce a convertible version of the Century. According to information from a dealership in Japan, customers can also choose the materials used in the production of the Toyota Century 2024, such as carbon fiber or gold.
In the Japanese market, the Toyota Century 2024 currently has a base price of 25 million yen (about 4.15 billion VND). This figure can increase significantly with optional equipment or customer-specified orders.
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