Here at ViaRETRO we generally tend to write about cars that are 30-plus years old, with Youngtimers only featuring occasionally, such as the 1999 Jaguar S-Type that Dave Leadbetter wrote about recently. For this week’s Prime Find, however, we have found a car that is a genuine classic in terms of when the model was first launched (1967) though the car itself is just 26 years old, and yet it’s a 1st-generation example of the model. It’s also possibly as much car per £1 as you can buy today in terms of its sheer size and over-the-top specification.
It’s the Japanese equivalent of cars such as the Mercedes 600, the Chinese-built Hongqi CA770, a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow or Spur, or a BMW 750iL. Its only real Japanese rival was the equally over-the-top Nissan President. Hand-built – each one took nine days to build at Toyota’s Kanto Auto Works plant – this is a high status car symbolising power and wealth, for senior politicians, potentates, chief executives, royals and other dignitaries (not forgetting the Yakuza), none of whom would drive it themselves, of course, but would sit cocooned in ultimate opulence in the rear compartment with peak-capped chauffeur in the driving seat, possibly using the in-car telephone to close a deal or helping themselves to a celebratory whisky – probably Suntory – or a glass of sparkling stuff.
Quite a few alternatives to the Toyota Century – but can any of them match it for luxury?
And it is likely to come in at well under our theoretical £20k budget, if the estimate that Historics auctioneers have put on the car proves accurate.
Our Prime Find this week is a 1994 Toyota Century, and not just any Toyota Century (if one can say that about such a car), but the stretched Limousine. This huge, imposing vehicle is 5.77m or almost 19 feet long, finished in black with grey leather upholstery and a list of equipment longer than the arms of an NBA basketball player.
Toyota introduced the Century in 1967 to replace the Crown Eight as its flagship model and to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Toyota company. It was intended for a very particular target market and was – and remains – available solely from specific Toyota Store locations, not even from its high-end Lexus dealers. Originally equipped with a 3-litre V8 engine, the Century’s powerplant was gradually increased in size to 4-litres in 1982, and other upgrades were made over the model’s lifetime, but the exterior remained little changed until 1997. The third generation Century is still made today, retailing at the equivalent of c.£145,000 in Japan, it’s only official market.
Toyota Crown Eight Toyota Century
It has a 4-litre Lexus V8 engine that puts out a very modest 190bhp but manages to push this heavy car – over two tonnes – up to a maximum speed of around 110mph. I’ve not been able to establish any precise performance figures, though I would imagine it takes it’s stately time getting there – it’s not a sports car, after all, but then, speed really isn’t the point of it; rather, it’s all about wafting its prestigious or possibly dangerous occupants along in a double-glazed cocoon of silence and opulence on a magic carpet of air-suspension.
Externally, there is very little to say the Century is a Toyota; instead, a representation of a Phoenix – inspired by the Kinkaku temple in Kyoto, with each radiator badge taking a master carver six weeks (!) to create, perpetuating the Century’s craftsman-built image – can be found on various parts of the car such as the wheel centres, seats, steering wheel, B-post, but the Toyota name is featured on the back under the boot lid in plain block letters, reflecting the style of the car itself, I think.
The car’s sheer size and square-cut ultra-conservative styling give it considerable presence, and the interior is as luxurious as could be in 1994, filled with the most up-to-date tech then available. While the standard Century is already extremely well-equipped, the Limousine takes things even further; the list of equipment is frankly staggering, starting with the sumptuous leather seats – power adjustable, heated and with a massage function for the fantastically cosseted rear passengers, the most important people in the car, after all. Mahogany fixtures abound – the steering wheel, sliding tables and cup holders for passengers, a mahogany cabinet with crystal glass and decanter set…
Front and rear compartments are connected via intercom, there’s a telephone, a VHS tape player as well as a CD-player, a TV (which works but is a Japanese spec TV), a fridge, independent aircon for front and rear passengers (naturally)…and so on. Electric windows – including the quarterlights! – all round as well and of course an electrically-operated glass partition and curtain rails. Even the doors and boot are electrically-operated and soft closing. And everything works!
The new owner will need to learn a little Japanese, as many of the switches and controls – and there are a lot – are labelled in Japanese
You’re unlikely to see another in the UK – even though being Japanese the Century is of course RHD. There is a “standard” Century for sale near London at the moment and there are 12 on the road in the UK – interestingly, up from just 3 four years ago, but it’s believed this is the only Century Limousine on sale in Europe today.
According to the auctioneers, a full service was completed in Japan before the vehicle was shipped to the UK in 2019, and four new Bridgestone tyres were fitted at the same time. The digital dash is fully functional and the odometer reads a relatively low 55,630 km (34,500 miles), so the car has probably had an easy life. It appears to be in fine condition, as you would expect with such a low mileage and the chrome looks to be in good order.
Who might buy such a car today? I found myself thinking this is a perfect special occasion car – airport transfers for senior executives, school proms etc, and perhaps particularly attractive to Japanese ex-pats looking for a genuinely special car from home to transport their bride-to-be to church. It would certainly be something different from the usual Rolls Royce Silver Shadow or Daimler Limousine.
It will be very interesting to see what it sells for at Historics’ 10th anniversary sale on July 18th – the auctioneers’ estimate is for between £13,000 to £17,000. Whoever buys it will need a long garage and will be getting an enormous amount of car for the price of a Ford Fiesta or similar, though the running costs will be somewhat different. An average fuel consumption of around 10-12mpg will mean frequent and expensive stops to refuel its 95-litre (21 gallon) tank, and I expect filling station visits will certainly take longer than usual, not just because of the amount of fuel required, but also as people will come and ask about the car, probably enquiring as to what type of Rolls Royce it might be…
Since the engine comes from Lexus, I would expect parts for this to be not too difficult to source, but body panels and interior items will certainly be more of a challenge. There is a Facebook group with almost 1400 members that will undoubtedly prove to be a useful resource.
I look forward to viewing this car in all its glory in a few weeks’ time; for now, we’ve had to be content with borrowing some photographs from Historics’ website, and you can check out the lot details here.
With our Saturday instalment of Prime Find of the Week, we’re offering our services to the classic car community, by passing on our favourite classic car for sale from the week that passed. This top-tip might help a first-time-buyer to own his first classic, or it could even be the perfect motivation for a multiple-classic-car-owner to expand his garage with something different. We’ll let us be inspired by anything from a cheap project to a stunning concours exotic, and hope that you will do the same.
Just remember – Any Classic is Better than No Classic! We obviously invite our readers to help prospective buyers with your views and maybe even experiences of any given model we feature. Further to that, if you stumble across a classic which you feel we ought to feature as Prime Find of the Week, then please send us a link to primefindoftheweek@viaretro.co.uk