Toyota May Spin Off Century Into Its Own Ultra-Luxury Brand Above Lexus

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Brand recognition can be a double-edged sword. While it can be advantageous, it can also be constraining. Despite Lexus being renowned for crafting premium vehicles that compete with the traditional German offerings, most buyers may be taken aback by a price tag exceeding $200,000 for a Lexus. Toyota intends to sell the Century at a price point approaching that amount, and as a result, it is reportedly exploring the possibility of spinning the name into its own brand.

Although readers in Japan will likely recognize the Toyota Century as a real-deal luxury vehicle, many readers outside the country likely find the brand’s name incongruent with the idea of luxury. And yet, the automaker reportedly has plans to export the luxurious SUV to markets around the world, including the Middle East Europe, and the Americas.

The SUV, which is already devoid of Toyota badges, is expected to serve as an introduction to international customers for the Century nameplate before it becomes a separate brand under which multiple luxurious vehicles will be marketed. This information comes from an unnamed executive who was interviewed by Forbes at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The brand will reportedly produce even more expensive and impressive vehicles than Lexus.

We have reached out to both Toyota and Lexus for comment, and will update this post when we hear back.

Read: Toyota Century SUV Debuts As The Pinnacle Of Japanese Opulence

While the move may be a bit of a gamble for Toyota, it certainly won’t be the first to try to go upmarket with a new brand. And the Century name has strong roots in history, dating all the way back to 1967, when a limousine was first produced under that name serving as Toyota’s premium chauffeur-driven car.

The stately Century sedan was originally offered with a V8 engine, later incorporating a V12 option, and ultimately transitioning to a hybrid V8 powertrain in its recent iterations. In the ensuing years, the model line has undergone three generational updates over the years, and is now, in its fourth generation, a large SUV with a sliding door.

Toyota is serious about the Century — it isn’t just some Lexus with extra plush carpeting and more glitzy trim. The SUVs are built by a hand-selected group of 40 workers who have to complete exams to qualify for the team. They can take as much as 12 times longer than workers on other lines to tighten bolts and assemble parts perfectly.

That obsessive attention to detail is part of why the Century is expected to have an MSRP of around $170,000, while the production vehicles based on the Century GRMN concept will cost around $220,000.