Toyota is teasing a truly unique Century model that will be unveiled at the biennial Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo at the end of October. The Japanese automaker released images on Monday showcasing a new coupe carrying the branding of its ultra-luxury line. However, you might not be able to get your hands on this new Century, no matter how deep your pockets may be. Toyota is touting the model as being “One of One,” but it’s not yet clear if it’s just a concept, a one-off car for a wealthy customer, or an expression of its uniqueness.
From what can be gleaned from the images, the “One of One” Century is fitted with several non-conventional features. The coupe seems to feature a central seating position for the driver, and while there aren’t any views of the interior, it’s safe to assume that passenger seating does exist in a second row. The split-sliding doors would make it far easier for anyone to climb in and out of the back, and the lack of a B-pillar would provide better views out of the Century for passengers.
Will the Century really be One of One or enter production?
While Centuries have been traditionally sedans and limousines, the “One of One” would be the first coupe to carry the prestigious name. But Toyota has already experimented with different Century body styles in recent years. The “New Century” debuted in 2023 as a $170,000 SUV built on the same platform as the Toyota Grand Highlander and Lexus TX, and it seems to be what this One of One is based on — it’s also available with sliding rear doors, admittedly not as cool as what’s on this coupe. Chairman Akio Toyoda said the SUV was intended to appeal to younger people who are flocking to buy crossovers.
Only time will tell if the “One of One” Century will be a concept or a harbinger of a new ultra-luxury model. While on the other end of the income spectrum for potential buyers, Honda reintroduced the Prelude in a similar fashion. The hybrid-electric Prelude debuted as a concept at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show before the resulting production version was revealed a year later. It would be great to see an innovative take on the Century, but I’m sure that I’ll still never own one.
Toyota
Toyota
Toyota
