TOYOTA CITY: Toyota has unveiled a new flagship Century model with a likeness of a large luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV).
The new Century model is open for order with deliveries this year and will be sold alongside the current Century sedan.
The new vehicle is designed as a four-seater chauffeur-driven vehicle and continues the Century sedan's concepts of Japanese heritage, elegance, comfort and functionality.
The vehicle features a two-box body design with the exterior immaculately finished down to the finest detail in the hands of master craftspeople.
Aside from the finely engraved phoenix emblem, the new Century gets a mirror finish look that is a result of meticulous polishing of painted surfaces.
The vehicle comes with a quad set-back lamps on each corner to project a dignified gaze.
The cockpit is equipped with functions and features that support professional drivers and enhance ease of use.
The rear seats are the fully reclining-type that allow passengers to relax.
The rear doors also open to a wide 75-degree angle and a sweeping cabin floor provides ease of entry and exit.
In addition, the convenient automatic retractable power steps and easy-to-grab C-pillar grips also support natural and elegant entry and exit by rear passengers.
Running on a newly developed 3.5-litre V6 plug-in hybrid system, the all-wheel drive Century also inherits the quietness of the Century sedan and delivers performance that is eco-friendly and powerful, befitting the future of chauffeur-driven vehicles.
The new plug-in hybrid system coupled to an electric continuously variable transmission, is designed to function as a BEV for everyday use and as an HEV for long-distance travel.
The latest Century which has a length of 5,205mm, width of 1,990mm, height of 1,805mm and wheelbase of 2,050mm also features a rear-wheel steering system.
The "Dynamic Rear Steering" promises easy handling at low speeds and seamless, natural handling at medium to high speeds.Its more rigid body also contributed to an improved ride comfort.
It also comes with a Rear Comfort mode for the first time that supports the driver's control of the vehicle to ensure a comfortable ride for passengers in the rear.
The mode can assist braking control to suppress jolts when the vehicle comes to a halt.
It also gets noise-reducing clear laminated glass on the cabin side of the cargo space separator to properly separate the cabin from the cargo area and achieve the privacy and quietness associated with chauffeur-driven vehicles.
The new Century, priced at 25 million yen (RM790,000), is produced at Toyota's Tahara plant with an estimated base sales volume of 30 units a month in Japan.
