Toyota Century goes upmarket: Japanese brand aims to rival Rolls-Royce and Bentley

Toyota has decided to take Century to a new level and turn it into a standalone ultra-luxury brand. The move is driven not only by the ambition to create a Japanese answer to Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but also by the model’s own history: since 1967, Century has been the most prestigious car Toyota has ever offered to the Japanese market.

Century has always stood apart, even against Lexus. The name was chosen to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries, and the car itself has been used for decades by Japan’s imperial family, senior officials and top business figures. The vehicle never wore the usual oval Toyota badge: in its place sat a phoenix emblem, underlining the model’s separate status.

Now Toyota wants to take that prestige beyond Japan. Century is being carved out as a standalone marque positioned above Lexus, operating in the realm of bespoke luxury. The initial line-up includes the Century sedan, the Century crossover and a Century coupe concept. That mix makes it clear that Toyota has no plans to limit itself to a single flagship model and is instead building a full-fledged premium family.

The key bet is on a different kind of luxury. While Rolls-Royce and Bentley are associated with European, demonstrative opulence, Century leans on Japanese restraint, hand craftsmanship, personalisation and status without noise. For Toyota, this is a chance to build the very top of its model hierarchy without getting in Lexus’s way: Lexus remains a global premium brand, while Century turns into a rarer and more expensive product.