For decades, Toyota has stood at the forefront of reliable engineering. Its penchant for robust and well-built motors rivals the very best in the automotive world. Bearing that in mind, it’s no surprise the Japanese automaker is one of the largest in the world. There are a few famous Toyota motors that come to mind, such as the 2JZ straight-six and the 3S-GTE inline-four.
Toyota
Toyota is a Japanese automaker founded in 1937 that has developed a reputation for reliability across a multitude of segments, from sports cars and family sedans to pickup trucks and off-roaders. Famous models from the brand include the Hilux, Land Cruiser, Camry, Crown, and Corolla, the latter being the world’s best-selling vehicle nameplate, with more than 50 million Corolla-badged vehicles being sold since it was first introduced. Toyota typically competes in the mainstream market, but is also famous for launching Lexus as a luxury sub-brand to take on Mercedes-Benz.
- Founded
- August 28, 1937
- Founder
- Kiichiro Toyoda
- Headquarters
- Aichi, Japan
- Owned By
- Publicly Traded
- Current CEO
- Koji Sato
However, there’s one motor that embodies Toyota’s ability to create truly wonderful power plants, but it’s not very well known for a couple of reasons. For one, the car in which it was installed, the second-generation Toyota Century, was only sold in limited quantities in select markets. The engine is also the only V12 Toyota ever made, and while other mainstream brands have shied away from exotic engine configurations, Toyota has embraced it. With that in mind, let’s look at this one-of-a-kind motor in more detail.
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The Toyota That Rivaled Rolls-Royces
In recent times, it’s commonplace for automakers to use the same engine in a few of their models. It’s also cheaper and easier to manufacture cars this way; not to mention, it saves a lot of time, as one engine for multiple models means less time spent at the drawing board trying to get new engines to fit into existing models. In the second-gen Toyota Century’s case, things are quite different.
In the case of our write-up, it’s important to touch on what exactly makes the Toyota Century such a special car. It’s been Toyota’s flagship sedan since its introduction in 1967. Back then, the Century was brought out to commemorate the founder of Toyota’s 100th birthday. Seeing just how much time, effort, and expense goes into the Toyota Century’s creation, it’s quite a touching sentiment to Mr. Sakichi Toyoda.
Toyota Century V12 Fast Facts
- Produced from 1997 to 2017
- The Toyota Century V12 constituted the nameplate’s second-generation
- The Century was – and still is – the only Japanese-made front-engined, rear-wheel drive V12 production car
These days, the Toyota Century is a car mainly driven by Japanese dignitaries and the ultra-wealthy. The whole purpose of the Century is to enjoy your wealth without looking like you’re at all interested in showing it off. It showcases a discreet beauty in its exterior design, and its interior is made without compromise in materials or fit and finish. In short, the Century is a remarkable testament to Toyota’s dedication to perfection in every way.
The V12 used in the second generation Century is part of an engine family with only one member as Toyota has never produced a V12 for a production car before or since. The reason for using a V12 in the second-gen Century was due to its unmatched smoothness, and its silence, lending it a character that could rival Rolls-Royces. Speaking of the Century V12’s silence, the car had a total of five mufflers and was reportedly so quiet that you couldn’t even hear the motor when it’s floored, just a muted whisper.
What Exactly Can The Century’s V12 Do?
|
2nd-Gen Toyota Century Specs |
|
|---|---|
|
Displacement |
5.0-Liter V12 |
|
Horsepower |
276 hp (295 hp For Export Markets) |
|
Torque |
355 lb-ft |
|
0-60 MPH (2017 MY) |
7.5 Seconds |
Considering just how heavy the second-gen Century was – at about 4,400 pounds, it makes sense why a big V12 was chosen for the job, among other reasons. The 12-cylinder may sport a large displacement, but it wasn’t overly powerful by any definition. Toyota wasn’t interested in making a screamer of a luxury car, and relied on cylinder count and displacement to make the perfect luxury rival to a Rolls-Royce.
In the domestic market, the Century V12 was marketed at 276 horsepower to comply with Japan’s Gentleman’s Agreement. For context, the agreement was reached to avoid a horsepower war within Japan, a country whose maximum speed limit was 62 mph. Export market-bound Century sedans received a horsepower rating of 295 horses, and like most Japanese cars of the era, it’s unlikely they were actually detuned in Japan.
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The V12 within the Century carried the code 1GZ-FE and was the sole member of its specific engine family (although a modified version called the 1GZ-FNE could run on compressed natural gas). The motor sported unique features, such as two ECUs, one for each six-cylinder bank. Using this configuration, the engine could run on just one cylinder bank should there be a major mechanical problem rendering one bank inoperable. A dual-overhead camshaft setup was used, along with the engine having 48 valves, or four valves per cylinder.
Helping to transfer the V12 power from the engine to the rear wheels was a four-speed automatic “A342E” transmission from 1997 to 2004. It was then replaced by a six-speed “intelligent” automatic transmission, which could learn throttle patterns and adjust shift points accordingly.
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What Happened To The Century’s V12?
As with any good thing, they must all come to an end. After a 20-year run, the V12 Century was killed off in favor of a 5.0-liter V8 from the Toyota UR engine family. Toyota’s decision to do so was spurred on by a few factors, but mainly due to the fact that engine technology has improved drastically since 1997, rendering the need for more cylinders largely moot.
Toyota’s decision to move to a V8 for the current, third-gen Century was met with some scrutiny, especially considering the Century’s place as the crown jewel of Japanese luxury sedans. However, as with any decision made by Toyota, every angle was weighed and pondered with the utmost logic. There was no longer a need for a gas-guzzling V12 to provide the smoothness Toyota required for the Century. Replacing the V12 with a hybrid V8 unit means better fuel consumption and lower tailpipe emissions.
Why The Century Is Such An Important Car
We’ve touched on how important the Century is to Japanese culture as a whole, but it deserves more than just a mention. As far as cultural icons go, the Century best embodies Japan as a whole and its combination of understated design and peerless attention to detail speak volumes about Japanese culture. But, there’s more to it than that.
For 57 years, the Century has been arguably the most iconic car on Japanese streets. The affluent, dignitaries, and even the Emperor of Japan use the Century to float around the country in unbridled comfort. Seeing a Century on a random street in Tokyo most likely means somebody of importance is inside. Considering the Century’s desire to remain discreet, it’s hard to accomplish that when it’s got such a reputation riding on its heels.
Should you fancy a Century for yourself, you can purchase one for less than you’d think, with good examples of the second-gen Century going for anywhere between $15,000 and $50,000. Of course, you’ll have to jump through the bureaucratic hoops involved in vehicle importation. But, you’d have a piece of Japanese cultural history, and most wouldn’t even know it.
Sources:
Toyota