Toyota Could Put a Twin-Turbo V-12 Hybrid in the Century Coupe

At the Tokyo auto show last fall, Toyota unveiled the Century Coupe concept, a high-riding, luxurious two-door. The concept was a mission statement for Century—a nameplate that has adorned Toyota’s most opulent sedan since 1967—that the company is now spinning off into a new flagship brand.

Rumors suggested that the Century Coupe could go into production, and now a new report from Japanese publication Magazine X via MotorTrend, claims that this new era of Century will be motivated by a hybrid V-12 powertrain.

This wouldn’t be the first time for a 12-cylinder Century, with the second-generation model produced from 1997 to 2017 packing a naturally aspirated V-12, before its successor adopted a V-8 hybrid setup. According to Magazine X, this new powertrain would see two turbochargers feed a 6.0-liter V-12 assisted by electric motors, producing a combined 800 horsepower.

The report claims this new powertrain will debut in a production version of the Century Coupe concept, mated to an automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The new engine is reportedly still under development, and it’s unclear when this new model will debut, but we wouldn’t expect to see it until 2027 at the earliest.

It’s also unclear whether a high-priced Century Coupe with a hybridized twin-turbo V-12 would make its way stateside. Toyota has never sold any Century-badged vehicle in the U.S., including the Grand Highlander-based Century SUV launched in 2023.

Still, when Toyota announced its intention to turn Century into a standalone brand, it said the marque would go global in its bid to compete with the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley. As with the new GR GT supercar, the Century Coupe would likely be sold through select Lexus dealerships if it ever does make it to the U.S.