GTP Cool Wall: Toyota Century

[astrosdude91]

That car is from 2005? It look's like something from the mid '90's! And a big V-12 without the power to match. And I hate that style of side mirror placement.

Seriously uncool- same with anything with a Toyota badge!

 

[PureAwesomeness]

Last time I checked, the Yakuza wanted nothing to do with JDM cars. In fact as I recall they don't even like anything RHD...

I'd have thought that these are more printer company CEO than Japanese mafia.

In fact no, as I recall the Century is the baby of the VIP mod scene, which as far as I'm concerned is the Tokyo equivalent of men with Corsas racing up and down Ealing Broadway. Vote for 'seriously uncool' will be registered shortly.

Not true at all. A very long time ago, Jeremy Clarkson or someone declared that Yakuza like to drive LHD German luxury cars. To this day, people go around quoting this as the gospel truth. Whilst true of some, Japanese luxury cars (Lexus, Nissan Cima, Toyota Crown Majesta etc.) are also very popular with Yakuza. I've even seen them driving the latest hybrid Lexus LS.

Many Yakuza have ties to right-wing nationalist political organisations and therefore it shouldn't surprise that many choose to drive 'made in Japan'.

The Century is a favorite of the Yakuza. It's obscenely expensive, it's Japanese and it's huge.

Century's in my experience aren't that common on the VIP modding scene - mainly because they cost so much in the first place and their restrained styling doesn't lend itself well to modifications.

 

[niky]

It's a Toyota, it looks like a cross between an '80's Rolls Royce and a late model Cadillac Deville, pitiful power and torque for a DOHC V12.

The old-fashioned design is purposeful. It makes it more familiar and appealing to the sixty-something CEOs this car is being marketed to.

That "pitiful power" has been the same for the past two decades and the quoted power may be conservative. A limo doesn't need to get from 0-60 in five seconds, despite what the Germans may tell you. It's fun for the driver, but a limo is not a driver's car. You're never going to use full power on a Jaguar XJ or a Bentley Turbo without spilling the boss's champagne.

*And do note... the engine was released back when the "gentleman's agreement" was in force... so "280" is likely a very conservative number.

And you're not going to set a new Nurb record without bouncing his head off the C-pillars like a soccer ball... and if the car is designed to set a new Nurb record, it'll shuffle his kidneys, as well.

For its target audience, the Century is the perfect car. Sophisticated, yet familiar, and with its priorities straight. You guys are expecting waaaaay too much of what's meant to be the Japanese version of the Phantom. (which may be very agile for such a heavy car, but still drives like a barge)

Unfortunately, it's a limo. And limos are hardly ever cool...

Wall of car = uncool.

Escapes being seriously uncool because it's not a Maybach. Uncool.

 

[-ultraflow-]

in my opinion its ... cool:

1. its a Toyota
2. the V12 engine is good and used in the Top Secret Supra V12.
3. its big and heavy so it a new driving experience for me.

 

[Sniffs]

if they put front window corner mirrors on this, and slapped it into the US, the 70 somethings would snap them up like hotcakes. it looks like an 86 Buick cetury with Japanese mirrors on it

 

[Jondot]

Not true at all. A very long time ago, Jeremy Clarkson or someone declared that Yakuza like to drive LHD German luxury cars. To this day, people go around quoting this as the gospel truth. Whilst true of some, Japanese luxury cars (Lexus, Nissan Cima, Toyota Crown Majesta etc.) are also very popular with Yakuza. I've even seen them driving the latest hybrid Lexus LS.

Many Yakuza have ties to right-wing nationalist political organisations and therefore it shouldn't surprise that many choose to drive 'made in Japan'.

The Century is a favorite of the Yakuza. It's obscenely expensive, it's Japanese and it's huge.

Century's in my experience aren't that common on the VIP modding scene - mainly because they cost so much in the first place and their restrained styling doesn't lend itself well to modifications.

Mr Clarkson was indeed my main source. In which case, I stand corrected

And I suppose you're in regular contact with them, are you?

Well we used to get together for coffee on wednesday mornings, but y'know how it is - it's all too easy to lose touch with one another over the years.

 

[Sniffs]

ya know, something just hit me. GM and Toyota had an agreement once, so that probably literally IS a buick with Japanese mirrors on it!

 

[Jim Prower]

ya know, something just hit me. GM and Toyota had an agreement once, so that probably literally IS a buick with Japanese mirrors on it!

Only thing that came out of that agreement is this.

and it's successors. Which only I'd rate Sub-Zero, hence why it'll NEVER be up to a poll.

Well...and this...

Which I wouldn't vote cool at all.

 

[mafia_boy]

Only thing that came out of that agreement is this.

We got a few more than that over here through the partnership scheme which gave us cars like:

*Holden Nova (you guys in the US get that, rebadged Corolla)
*Holden Apollo (rebadged 1st gen Camry)
*Toyota Lexcen (rebadged Holden Commodore VN/VP/VR/VS)
*Holden VL Commodore (powered by the Nissan R31 Skyline's RB30 motor)
*Ford Laser (rebadged Mazda 323 Hatch)
*Ford Meteor (rebadged Mazda 323 Sedan)
*Ford Telstar (rebadged Mazda 626)
*Ford Probe (different bodyshell on basically a Mazda MX6 V6 version)
*Holden Barina (rebadged Suzuki Swift)

and that's just to name a few. This thing was going for decades here, even as early as the 1970's where Mazda brought out the Roadpacer which was a Holden Kingswood with a Mazda 13B motor.

 

[Small_Fryz]

280hp from a V12...

meh

 

[mafia_boy]

Gentlemen's Agreement, that's why it's "280hp".

 

[a6m5]

Found couple of throwback customs here:

Even when I was a kid in Japan, they were always old, ancient, dinosaurs. I think niky brought up Phantom, it is a similar take by the Japanese culture, if that make sense. Americans keep on bringing up Buick, but it's more along the lines of Presidential Lincoln. It's not just "ancient", it's also V.I.P. Speaking of Presidential, the Nissan has a exact version of this car, and it is called Nissan President.


What they look like now(or at least, last I checked):

What they looked like when I was a kid:

Century, President, they are both somewhat obscure, dino-VIP cars. Like I said earlier, if you aren't Japanese, and if you aren't old, you most likely won't get the point of this car. When I was a kid, back in the 80's, I think they both had V8's, which tells you how unique these cars were back then, since no normal(lol) Japanese sedans came with V8 until those crazy Lexuses & Infinities came out I think in 1989.

 

[Jim Prower]

Then how'd this young yankee kid get it?

 

[a6m5]

For some different, mysterious reasons.

 

[TsLeng]

It is sub-zero to me exactly because it is ancient, dinosaur-ish
Not to mention rare.

Same way I'd rate a Zil limo as cool. Not exactly great cars technology wise, but very cool.

 

[TrievelA7X]

Just plain awful.
I thought it was from the early 90's, since they apparantly used late 80's Cadillac's for styling design.
If it had came out in 1990 or so, then it might have been tolerable.

 

[Vince_Fiero]

It never inspired me, but since so Asian, modest, ... got stuck on Meh

 

[Jay]

I'm a sucker for localised luxury buses, especially when they're unique (V12 Toyota..)


Cool.

 

[Prosthetic]

I want.