For many Americans, the ultimate in Japanese luxury cars is Lexus - opens in new window or tab.. Toyota’s luxury brand has been a sensation since arriving in the US in 1990. But for decades, Toyota has kept its best at home, building the Century sedan for titans of industry and high-ranking government officials. This stateside 1997 Toyota Century recently listed on eBay is the height of Japanese sophistication.
Steady Evolution
In 1967, Toyota began selling the first-generation Century, powered by a V-8 engine and proving popular among wealthy business executives needing a luxurious, understated vehicle in which to be driven. This 1997 Toyota Century for sale is from the first year of the second generation. That’s right—Toyota produced the same basic vehicle for 30 years with only gradual changes.
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This second-generation Toyota Century has one big development over the previous model: a five-liter V-12 engine - opens in new window or tab. under the hood. Producing the agreed-upon industry maximum 276 horsepower, the big V-12 is smooth and quiet, driving through a four-speed automatic transmission.
However, the look of this 1990s Century is not all that different from the 1960s Century, and this body style carried on until the debut of the third generation in 2018. Most automakers have a lifecycle of five to seven years between redesigns, while the Century went half a century with just two style updates.
No Leather?
Most top-end Japanese-market cars are fitted with high-quality wool cloth seating surfaces instead of the leather we’ve come to expect from luxury cars in the States. After all, leather gets hot and cold in weather extremes, while textiles tend to be more comfortable in those conditions.
Other unusual features found on this Toyota Century include a power-operated rear window curtain for privacy and to block some light. These were built primarily as a chauffeured vehicle - opens in new window or tab., so comfort for the rear-seat passengers was paramount.
You May Never See Another One Here
While many enthusiasts have been clamoring for Japanese-market vehicles to make their way to the US after the federal 25-year waiting period - opens in new window or tab. is up, most of these vehicles are supercars like the Nissan Skyline GT-R - opens in new window or tab. or minitrucks like the Suzuki Carry - opens in new window or tab.. After all, Americans can do pretty well on their own with luxury cars, and we have plenty of options from Britain, Germany, Korea, and Japan.
This Toyota Century, on the other hand, is unusual with understated style. The seller notes that a previous owner had fitted bulletproof glass front and rear, along with armored plating in the doors and behind the rear seats. It makes you wonder who was being driven in this car.
It’s not perfect. The seller points out some rust spots surrounding the Toyota Century's window glass - opens in new window or tab., which can be tricky to fix before the damage becomes too severe. The air suspension has also been replaced with traditional coil spring - opens in new window or tab. suspension, likely due to the cost of repairing the original air ride—or possibly due to the extra weight of the bulletproofing.
So it might not ride quite as nicely as it once did. You’ll need to be ready to handle some work on a low-volume car, and be prepared to hunt for parts.
No matter. With a Buy-It-Now price of $13,000, this Toyota Century had to be one of the greatest luxury car bargains out there. It offered the ability, with a bit of work, to ride like a king.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.