For decades, the Century has stood at the top of Toyota’s hierarchy, the understated choice of Japan’s elite. Now, that long-serving flagship is stepping into unfamiliar territory. In October, Toyota confirmed that the Century name will no longer refer to a single model but will evolve into its own brand, created to challenge the rarefied world of Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
At the Japan Mobility Show, Toyota previewed the future of the brand with the striking Century Coupe, finished in a flamboyant shade of orange and taking the form of a high-riding two-door. While the brand has yet to decide on what engine will power the new model, it’s confirmed that it will not be electric.
Read: New Century Coupe Dares To Do What Lexus Never Would
“Yes, it will have an engine,” Toyota powertrain president Takashi Uehara told CarExpert when quizzed about what will power it. “We have not actually decided which kind of engine will be installed,” he added.
In Japan, the current Century sedan is sold with a V8 engine while the Century SUV is equipped with a 3.5-liter plug-in hybrid V6. In the interest of cost-saving, it’d make sense for Toyota to use one of these engines in the next Century model. However, if it really wants to make a splash on the market, it could opt for something different.
One possibility is the twin-turbocharged V8 expected to propel the upcoming Toyota GR GT, a performance machine positioned against the Mercedes-AMG GT and rumored to produce around 800 hp.
That kind of power may be excessive for a car wearing the Century badge, though Toyota could easily tone it down to create a more composed, luxury-oriented experience.
“There are many combinations available,” Uehara said when discussing the Century’s engine. “Now, the time needed for development is very much reduced, so it will be soon, actually.”