The Toyota Century is well known as the company’s flagship car in Japan. The platform is an elegantly and generously appointed limousine that is produced primarily for the Japanese market. Production of the Century began in 1967 and remained in the same basic form; it wasn’t until 1997 that the platform received a redesign, somewhat similar to the established presence and longevity of the Rolls-Royce Phantom or Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser.

The Century derived its name from the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries. The Century was available with only a V-8 engine at the time this car was produced; this is the 4.0-liter, 190-hp version, that is also producing 238 pound-feet of torque. It is recognized as the third Japanese built sedan postwar.

Imported by a U.S. serviceman over three years ago, this rare Toyota Century displays its original paint and interior. Perhaps the owner’s words in a Petrolicious entry best illustrates the special nature of this distinguished automobile: “Before landing in Japan, I knew I wanted to bring something back, but I had no idea what. Everyone was buying Skylines, Silvias, or MR2s, and although I appreciate all of those vehicles, I couldn’t see myself in any of them.

One day, on the way to work, I saw the car. I thought it was a Toyota Crown at first, but it was far grander. It was parked in front of the Officer’s Club and it had a presence that is hard to put into words. The design was fairly conservative, but something drew my attention to it. It simply looked important.”

Laden with all of the luxury and conveniences imaginable, the Century also has rear reclining and massaging seats. The air conditioning received an R12 evacuation and refill for maximum effectiveness before being exported from Japan. A further feature is that this is one of the “early VG40 models with recessed headlights and grill.” The term “old world luxury” is often associated with this model, for good reason.