2004 Toyota Century V12 G50

A Tale of Two Century’s: The creation of the Ultimate Classic Japanese Luxury Car.

Built to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Toyota’s founder Sakichi Toyoda in 1967, the legendary Toyota Century would have to be one of the most understated statements of the brands of success over the past 50 years.

Outside the Japanese domestic market (JDM), this luxurious upper class sedan remained unknown. Since from the outset only a small volume production was expected, at the same time, Toyota wanted to offer as much luxury and quality as possible.

To assist with this, Toyota shifted the production of the Century to Kanto Auto Works Ltd., where the Century is almost exclusively handmade. The usual black or dark blue paintwork consists of seven layers of paint applied by hand. The chrome of the bumpers, sills and exterior mirror caps is also polished manually by the employees in many hours of detailed work.

It was the first Japanese car to ride on air suspension and the first to be designed with chauffeuring in mind. Introduced in 1967, the Toyota Century has seen only one minor upgrade in 1997, where it gained an extra 4 cylinders, taking the engine from V8 to V12, with a 5.0 litre capacity.

Exclusivity a must, the Century’s engine was specially made for the model, and did feature in any other Toyota. The bespoke 5.0 litre, 48 valve V12 with variable valve timing produced 296hp according to official figures. But whilst The Japanese Gentlemen’s agreement at the time dictated that all vehicles produced in Japan would have no more than 300HP, the ‘real’ figures are thought to be somewhat higher.

In keeping with Toyota’s attempts to keep the Century as smooth and as quiet as possible, wool cloth upholstery is standard. Leather is an option, but is considered too noisy as it flexes and creaks under the occupant’s posterior. By the way, those seats are huge and more comfortable than most sofas I’ve experienced.

All adjustment is electronic, with the rear seat occupant also being able to move the front passenger seat from controls in the back, to ensure optimal positioning of the foot rest and leg rest.

This Kamui Eternal Black example has been used sparingly, only traveling 85,668 kms to chauffeur executives around Japan's famous ring roads. The condition of its velour interior is a testament to its previous owner, even with its doily material blinds presenting as new.

The V12 is ready to effortlessly deliver you to your next event or eat up kms on the motorway in comfort, don’t miss your chance of owning this sophisticated yet quirky part of Japanese history.