Toyota Century brand firms for Australia with Lexus managing the decision process

Toyota Australia is giving excessive consideration for a expose to originate the ultra-luxurious Century stamp in the community, with senior Lexus bosses allocated duty for analysing the enterprise case.

“Because it goes to be positioned above [it], Lexus will rob the lead on that automobile,” Toyota Australia vice president of sales and marketing Sean Hanley knowledgeable Chasing Autos.

“Century wants very specialised consideration, nevertheless there may be a market in Australia, and optimistically, over the foreseeable year or two, we are able to be ready to construct a case for it. It is under no circumstances confirmed to my knowledge for Australia, nevertheless I deem we would per chance per chance calm gawk it,” Hanley acknowledged.

Toyota world chairman Akio Toyoda passe a keynote speech on the 2025 Tokyo Motor Present to thunder that now not ideally suited used to be the stamp’s flagship Century line turning into an honest stamp above Lexus, nevertheless that Century would additionally be sold out of the country.

Till now, Century items were essentially restricted to very restricted sales in the Eastern market ideally suited, the put the phoenix-badged luxurious vehicles are held in very deep like.

Now, Toyota will audaciously strive to pit Century’s lineup—consisting of a tremendous, outmoded sedan, a luxurious SUV, and a coming near near raised coupe model—head-to-head with Rolls-Royce and Bentley in selected out of the country markets.

Lexus Australia chief govt officer John Pappas has been given duty to deem Century’s suitability for the native market.

“We’re for the time being studying whether or now not the Century stamp has a predicament in the Australian market to counterpoint the Lexus stamp,” Pappas knowledgeable media at the side of Chasing Autos.

“That is also very minute [production] as a result of it’s handmade. They’re entirely customised. If we noticed an different the put we felt love this would take a seat internal our market in picture to counterpoint the Lexus stamp and the entire Toyota household, we may per chance positively be having a maintain a look at it,” acknowledged Pappas.

It is calm early days, and questions akin to whether or now not Century would leverage the rising Lexus vendor network in Australia have not been resolved.

Lexus Australia will simultaneously work thru a stamp pivot of its maintain because the pinnacle payment arm of Toyota pursues ‘fresh luxurious’ shapes and suggestions, leaving extra conservative codecs to Century.

The Tokyo Motor Present noticed the disclosing of two radical Lexus LS flagship ideas, with the unusual three-box sedan structure remark to be abandoned in favour of both a luxurious van, a coupe-SUV, or both.

Whereas the realm Century announcement came as one thing as a surprise, senior Toyota Australia officers maintain known about the opinion for some time.

“I didn’t know its positioning [as a brand above Lexus] until honest now not too long previously, nevertheless I’ve known about the Century [plan] for a whereas, yes,” acknowledged Toyota boss Hanley.

Pure markets for the Century will consist of the Heart East and other Asian international locations, although Toyota North The United States is additionally understood to be eager.

The ultra-luxurious market in Australia is amazingly minute nevertheless makes love Bentley and Rolls-Royce, love Century, attain now not depend on and even essentially desire high volumes.

For the length of the first nine months of 2025, Bentley has sold 95 vehicles in Australia—most of them Bentayga SUVs or coupes—whereas Rolls-Royce has delivered 50 vehicles, half of them being Cullinan SUVs.