Century becomes standalone ultra-luxury brand as Toyoda clarifies premium hierarchy and gives Lexus creative freedom to challenge European establishment
TLDR: Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda officially spins the Century nameplate into a standalone brand positioned above Lexus in the corporate hierarchy, creating a three-tier luxury structure comparable to Seiko’s watch divisions. The move aims to give Lexus more creative freedom while Century targets Rolls-Royce and Bentley with Japanese craftsmanship and hybrid technology. This restructuring comes as Lexus sales have declined for three consecutive years in the US, falling to 265,486 units in 2022, while Century expands beyond its traditional Japan-only market.
The Hierarchy Gets Complicated
When Akio Toyoda explains that “when we go higher-end, we need something above, not Lexus, nor Toyota,” he’s acknowledging what enthusiasts have known for decades: the Century was always Toyota’s real flagship. The chauffeur car of choice for Japan’s Imperial House and political elite since 1967 simply operated in a parallel universe to Lexus’s global luxury ambitions.
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