While most people outside Japan think that the Lexus LS is the Toyota group’s most luxurious model, that’s not entirely true, as in their home market, that distinction goes to the Toyota Century.
The folks over at BAT found one of them for sale on Craigslist in Vancouver, BC, Canada for the affordable price of CA$11,500, which comes to just shy of $8,300 at today’s exchange rates.
It’s claimed to be only one of two second-generation Toyota Centurys to have ever crossed the Pacific Ocean and enter North America.
“Up for sale is my 2000 Toyota Century V12. 131,900km. Car was recently imported just a month ago from Japan. I have decided to go a different route and no longer need the Century. This is currently the only RHD Gen 2 Century in North America. No accidents and all services are up to date. Vehicle was purchased from AutoBell Shizuoka after a huge search for the perfect Century” says the seller. “Due to the low production numbers of this car in 2000, and its perfect condition, it is currently eligible for ICBC Collector status.”
Toyota introduced the Century nameplate back in 1967 with a V8 engine keeping it in production for 30 years, before it introduced the second iteration in 1997. While visually similar to the previous model, the Century Mk2 was a new car and notably, the first and only front-engine, rear-wheel drive production sedan from Japan with a V12 mill. Up until 2004, the twelve-cylinder powerplant was hooked up to a 4-speed automatic, with Toyota upgrading it to a 6-speed automatic in 2005.
In Japan, the 2016 Century, which is virtually undistinguishable from the car pictured here – sans some very subtle upgrades made over the years, starts from 12,538,286 Yen, or about $107,000.
There’s an even a more special version of the Century named ‘Royal’, which is a one-off custom creation for the Emperor of Japan, believed to have cost over half a million dollars.
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