No, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is not a Rolls-Royce Cullinan but the all-new Toyota Century SUV. However, it will be a direct competitor to the British brand\'s SUV and all others as well.
Not surprisingly, this is one of the most expensive Toyota models ever created, with a starting price of $170,000 US dollars. Nevertheless, money is not the only issue here, as you\'ll need to get your hands on one. Toyota plans to produce approximately 30 vehicles per month, which is quite limited.
Unlike other Century models in the brand\'s history, this SUV won\'t be exclusive to Japan. In fact, Toyota has decided to market it globally. However, it is not yet known if Canada is among the markets targeted by the Japanese automaker. In my opinion, it\'s clear that our neighbors to the south will have access to it, which gives us a good chance, obviously.
A rechargeable hybrid powertrain
The Toyota Century SUV is not powered by a 12-cylinder engine or a big twin-turbo V8. Instead, you\'ll find a V6 engine paired with an electric motor under the hood of this massive Japanese SUV. We don\'t know the technical specifications of the hybrid portion yet, but we can certainly expect the classic 3.5-liter V6 for the gasoline engine. However, some rumors suggest that it could be the same powertrain found in the Lexus TX550+. This powertrain delivers a total output of 406 horsepower and provides a range of just over 55 kilometers in full electric mode.
If you opt for the two rear-seat configuration, those seats can recline quite extensively for optimal comfort. The Century SUV\'s interior is very luxurious and lacks nothing in terms of equipment, especially for rear passengers. It\'s important to remember that in Japan, the Century sedan was designed as a car in which you place a driver to transport wealthy businesspeople.
Toyota mentions that the Century SUV will offer a certain level of customization. We can assume that it won\'t be as extreme as Rolls-Royce or Bentley\'s customization options. In any case, this new luxury Toyota model is likely to attract many buyers, and there\'s a good bet that the waiting list to get one is already quite long.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
