Toyota Century Limousine

Country Classics™ proudly present :-

1990 TOYOTA CENTURY LIMOUSINE

These extremely rare cars were hand-built to the most exacting standards in Toyota's special ‘Kanto' factory and were the preserve of Japanese royalty. diplomats. industrialists – and the ‘Yakusa' (that's Mafia in plain English !!).

The limousines were even rarer and this is believed to be  the only one in the UK. The last one that sold in Europe went for Euros 18. 00. oo and their standard specification is second-to-none (as you'll see below).

Launched in 1967 as a sort of Japanese Lincoln / Cadillac. the exterior styling stayed unchanged for 30 years and even then was only mildly updated in 1997. As such. these cars have great. 1960s / 1970s ‘brutalist' styling – most people think that it's a Russian ZIL limousine from the Cold War era !! – but. underneath. they are actually the same as a Lexus LX 400. so you have modern. reliable. Japanese mechanicals … . in fact. the whole ‘Lexus' concept was dreamt-up by Toyota in order to sell re-bodied and re-badged Centurys to the American market.

The wonderful engine in this car is. therefore. a 4 Litre Toyota / Lexus V8. mated to an incredibly smooth. 3 speed plus overdrive automatic gearbox … . and the overall smoothness and refinement make it feel just like a Rolls Royce to drive.

In terms of the standard specification in this business limo. not even a Maybach has as many gadgets and luxuries – and Rollers and Bentleys are way behind … . the list is as follows (and all gadgets work) :-

1. Electric Sliding (Chauffeurs') Division    

2. Front-to-Rear Intercom

3. Electric Curtain Rails for the Division and Rear Window (rails fully working but curtains not supplied)

4. Telephone to Front and with Handsfree Built into Steering Wheel (phone to Japanese spec)

5. Telephone to Rear (phone to Japanese spec)

6. Television to Rear (working but TV to Japanese spec)     

7. VHS Player to Rear    

8. HiFi to Front (CD player & radio)  

9. HiFi to Rear (CD player & radio)

10. Tape-Deck Built into Rear Centre Armrest

11. Remote Control for TV / Video / HiFi

12. Aircon Front & Rear

13. Cruise Control

14. Mini Fridge / Cooler Box (that also has a heating function for hot food)

15. Pull-Out Writing Desk

16. Pull-Out Double Foot-Rest

17. Extra Leather Cushions (standard)

18. Mini Drinks Cabinet

19. Electric Leather Seats Front & Rear

20. Heated Leather Seats Front & Rear

21. Variable Speed Massage Function for Rear Seats  

22. Main Power Output to Rear

23. Electric Windows

24. Electric Quarter-Lights

25. Electric ‘Self-Closing' Doors & Boot (currently not functioning. but electric motors are fine)

There's probably more that we've forgotten. as there's SO much built into this car's standard spec and the cost of them when new was astronomical.

So there you have it. a business / ‘short' wheelbase limo with Classic looks. Lexus mechanicals and more luxuries than you can shake-a-stick-at … . drive – or be driven – to that far-away business meeting in absolute comfort and then. on the way back. have a massage in the rear seats and that glass of champagne on ice from the cooler-box.

If this had a Rolls or a Mercedes badge on the front. it would be worth a fortune … . as it is. this car is both rarer and better than either – and a lot cooler too … . so cool. in fact. that the BBC hired it for filming and featured it as a professional assassin's car in a television drama !! … . oh. and being Japanese. it's also Right-Hand-Drive. so it far more practical than any American limo.

Privately imported into the UK. this amazing car is registered in the UK. with a long MOT and road tax.

There is a sensible and modest ‘reserve' for this Century Limo and we also reserve the right to withdraw the car from sale at any time before the end of auction. 10% deposit required within 48 hours of winning bid and collection to be within 7 days of end of auction.

Sionara & Happy Bidding … .       

Also published at eBay.co.uk

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