Custom-made Toyota Century Convertible for Japan’s new emperor

In Japan, the new head of state, Emperor Naruhito, officially took the throne on May 1, but his coronation ceremony is yet to take place in October. The former Japanese Emperor Akihito has stepped down from his throne on April 30 of the year because of his poor health. His departure marked the end of the Heisei Era of Japanese Emperors.

The coronation ceremony of Emperor Naruhito will see dignitaries from more than 120 countries and as reported Emperor Naruhito will be riding in a one-off convertible Toyota Century at the coronation parade. The previous emperor used a vintage Rolls-Royce Corniche convertible at his coronation which was shorter and narrower than this Century limo.

The third-generation Toyota Century Convertible made its public debut at the 2017 Tokyo auto show which marked the third major redesign in the vehicle in 50 years and first since the second-generation came in 1997.

The convertible Toyota Century is almost similar to the fixed-roof version of the four-doors Century with minimal dimensional and interior changes. As compared to the standard Century, the roofless version is 5 mm shorter and its rear seats are fixed as opposed to the reclining units.Also, it is adorned with a gold imperial seal rather than a license plate. For the coronation ceremony, the Emperor's flag will be displayed in the car. The officials of the Japanese Emperor told that the car will be managed by the Cabinet Office after the ceremony and as part of the celebration, it will be showcased occasionally at the guesthouses in Tokyo and Kyoto.

The new Toyota Century limo is powered by a 5.0-litre V-8 and two electric motors, a big shift from the previous Century's 5.0-litre V-12. It is considered as the most premium model of the Toyota and carries a price-tag of around $200,000 which has only ever been sold to selected clients in Japan.

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