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Toyota’s Ultra-Luxury Century Coupe Could Bring the V12 Back
Autoblog
Jan 31, 2026
A Luxury Flagship That Isn’t Going Fully Electric
We’ve known for a while that Toyota’s new ultra-luxury division, Century, isn’t going fully electric. That decision alone puts it on a different path from brands like Jaguar, which are moving toward all-EV lineups. For buyers who see internal combustion as part of what makes a luxury car special, Century is sticking to that formula.
Even better, recent reports from Japan indicate that the upcoming Century Coupe, based on the car shown at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, will double down on that approach. Rather than downsizing or moving to smaller engines, the coupe is expected to use a V12.
While that might seem unusual now, it actually follows the second-generation Century from the 1990s, which also used a V12. It’s actually regarded as the smoothest V12 ever created. This was then replaced by a V8 in the third-gen model, and later by a V6 in the Century SUV. That said, this is more of a return to form rather than a new direction.
Return to Form
According to Magazine-X, a local automotive publication in Japan, the Century Coupe will use a plug-in hybrid system built around a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 engine. The report, brought to the surface by Creative Trends, suggests a total system output equivalent to roughly 800 metric horsepower, or about 789 hp.
Reports say the Century Coupe will send power to all four wheels using Toyota’s E-Four all-wheel-drive system, paired with either an eight-speed or ten-speed automatic. The hybrid system isn’t there to replace the engine, but to make power delivery smoother and improve refinement at low speeds, while still keeping the car comfortable for long drives.
Magazine-X adds that the V12 might be a completely new engine, not just a reworked version of Toyota’s existing inline-six. That fits with Century’s focus as a low-volume, prestige brand, where engineering choices are made for the product rather than just to share parts across models.
Autoblog
Jan 31, 2026
A Luxury Flagship That Isn’t Going Fully Electric
We’ve known for a while that Toyota’s new ultra-luxury division, Century, isn’t going fully electric. That decision alone puts it on a different path from brands like Jaguar, which are moving toward all-EV lineups. For buyers who see internal combustion as part of what makes a luxury car special, Century is sticking to that formula.
Even better, recent reports from Japan indicate that the upcoming Century Coupe, based on the car shown at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, will double down on that approach. Rather than downsizing or moving to smaller engines, the coupe is expected to use a V12.
While that might seem unusual now, it actually follows the second-generation Century from the 1990s, which also used a V12. It’s actually regarded as the smoothest V12 ever created. This was then replaced by a V8 in the third-gen model, and later by a V6 in the Century SUV. That said, this is more of a return to form rather than a new direction.
Return to Form
According to Magazine-X, a local automotive publication in Japan, the Century Coupe will use a plug-in hybrid system built around a 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 engine. The report, brought to the surface by Creative Trends, suggests a total system output equivalent to roughly 800 metric horsepower, or about 789 hp.
Reports say the Century Coupe will send power to all four wheels using Toyota’s E-Four all-wheel-drive system, paired with either an eight-speed or ten-speed automatic. The hybrid system isn’t there to replace the engine, but to make power delivery smoother and improve refinement at low speeds, while still keeping the car comfortable for long drives.
Magazine-X adds that the V12 might be a completely new engine, not just a reworked version of Toyota’s existing inline-six. That fits with Century’s focus as a low-volume, prestige brand, where engineering choices are made for the product rather than just to share parts across models.
