The Toyota Century has long been Japan's answer to the luxury car - reserved for business leaders and government officials who prefer their wealth to whisper rather than shout. That tradition continues with the new Century SUV, a chauffeur-focused flagship that sits above anything Lexus sells in Japan and starts at around $170,000 there, going toe-to-toe with Bentley, Range Rover, and Mercedes-Maybach while maintaining Toyota's signature understated vibe.
Now, one lightly used 2024 model has appeared at a Moscow dealership, listed by Royal Motors Club, with a mere 1,300 miles on the odometer and a price tag that makes you check your own pulse: 52.9 million rubles, or about $737,000 at current exchange rates. That's more than four times its original Japanese market price, making it one of the most expensive Toyota-badged vehicles anywhere on Earth.
The vehicle is in near-new condition and comes with full-body paint protection film - presumably to guard against the horrified stares of onlookers. But the extraordinary markup has little to do with the Century itself and everything to do with Russia's current automotive market, where Western automakers have suspended official operations, forcing luxury vehicles to arrive through parallel import channels with extra shipping costs, import hassles, and middlemen eager for a cut.
Under the hood, this isn't your grandfather's V12-powered Century sedan. The SUV packs a plug-in hybrid powertrain: a 3.5-liter V6 paired with electric motors, producing around 406 horsepower, plus Toyota's E-Four Advanced all-wheel-drive system and a battery pack for limited all-electric driving. Efficiency its predecessors could only dream of, though fuel economy is probably the last thing on a buyer's mind at this price.
The real magic happens behind the driver. The cabin swaps a traditional bench for two highly adjustable executive chairs with heating, ventilation, massage, and power-operated ottomans - basically a first-class airline seat on wheels. There are dedicated entertainment screens, folding tables, four-zone climate control, premium audio, electrochromic rear windows, a panoramic roof, power-deploying side steps, an Alcantara headliner, and a glass partition separating passengers from cargo. Acoustic insulation is a priority, because nothing says luxury like not hearing the sound of your wallet crying.
Toyota builds the Century SUV in very limited numbers - reportedly only about 30 per month - making it hard to get outside Japan. For wealthy buyers seeking something rarer than a Bentley Bentayga or Range Rover, the Century offers exclusivity that money can't easily buy elsewhere. Whether anyone will actually pay nearly three-quarters of a million dollars for this particular example remains to be seen, but the listing is a remarkable case study in how supply constraints, import complications, and exclusivity can inflate value beyond reason.
For perspective, that price places this Toyota in the same territory as exotic supercars and ultra-luxury flagship sedans. Absurd for a Toyota badge, sure, but the Century has never been an ordinary Toyota.