Toyota debuts Century as their new ultra-luxury off-shoot, above Lexus, One-Of-One concept sets the tone

Toyota came to the 2025 Japan Mobility Show with a clear new message: Lexus is no longer the ceiling. Above it now sits Century, freshly formalised as Toyota’s ultra-luxury sub-brand — not just as a product line, but as a philosophical push into the same rarefied air as Rolls-Royce and Bentley.

Century is a loaded name in Japan. For decades it has been the reserved choice of ministers, CEOs and royalty, a quietly opulent symbol of status. Now, Akio Toyoda has stepped on stage to reveal a deeper exploration of this ultra-luxury arm. And its spearhead: the Century standalone brand and a new concept vehicle.

Fronting this expansion is this One-of-One concept, a stunning tall-riding fastback coupé crossover — a body style far more driver-centric and expressive than the square-jawed Century SUV of 2023 or the stately third-gen sedan of 2018.

The passenger-side doors are sliding — concept-car theatre with a functional twist — revealing a staggered cabin layout: the passenger sits offset behind the driver with a privacy curtain and a swivelling throne for graceful ingress/egress.

Inside, Toyota rejects the “giant iPad” trend. Instead of one slab screen, the driver faces a horizontal main display flanked by two vertical side screens, all behind a steering yoke. It’s deliberately architectural, mechanical, and anti-gadgety — more salon than software.

Power remains unspoken — but fairly predictable?

Toyota hasn’t said what’s under that immense bonnet, but the list of likely candidates is short, unless they throw in another surprise: likely to be either the 5.0-litre V8 hybrid from the sedan or the PHEV 3.5-litre V6 hybrid the SUV. Given the push for global emission acceptability and NVH serenity, expect the latter.

Black Badge energy, Japanese flavour

The brand also previewed the Century SUV and sedan in darker, more aggressive dress — a nod to Rolls-Royce Black Badge, but rendered through a Japanese lens. Inside, trim panels wear a carbon-weave-like pattern — the same motif appears in Ghost Black Badge, but here it’s interpreted with Japanese graphic subtlety.

Perhaps the most seismic detail isn’t in the hardware — it’s the intent. Century will no longer be JDM-only. “We want to cultivate it as a brand that brings the spirit of Japan — the pride of Japan — out into the world,” Akio Toyoda declared. In other words, Rolls-Royce and Bentley might finally get a challenger not from Europe, but from Aichi, wearing a crest that has never chased them, until now.