Toyota's Prestigious "Century" Models Restyled, Improved

TOKYO―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION today announced major model changes in its large-size Century cars, and released the new series for sale throughout Japan.

The goals of Toyota's major remodeling are to combine the "traditional prestige and dignity of the Century car, which will continue to be its hallmarks through the future, with the latest technology of the electronics age. The result sets a new standard as Toyota's finest car for the era of the 1980s." Major features introduced into the Century in this remodeling are:

1. Improved driving performance and fuel efficiency
   • A newly developed 5V (5V-EU type, 8-cylinder, 3,994cc) engine has been mounted, employing a total engine control system called TCCS (Toyota Computer-Controlled System) that greatly improves both power performance and fuel efficiency.
   • Maximum output of the new engine is 190ps (at 4,800rpm), and maximum torque is 33.0kg-m (at 3,600rpm). The new Century has achieved 6.2km/2 fuel efficiency under the 10-mode Ministry of Transport standards, an improvement of approximately 13 percent.
2. Improved riding comfort
   • Riding comfort has been significantly improved through use of the "auto-leveller" (rear-wheel car height adjuster), which maintains a constantly level ride automatically, regardless of the number of passengers or cargo weight, and through changes in the suspension systems.

3. Improved interior comfort
   • The new Century boasts "rear lounge power seats," the right and left sections of which can be reclined independently of each other, a "refreshing seat" feature that incorporates a gentle massager in the seat back, and many other new refinements for added comfort.
4. Inside and out, more elegance in design
   • A classic grid-styled radiator grille announces the new Century, and elegance shows in every styling detail: the angular twin headlamps, the new flow of the luggage door, the capacious rear combination lamps and other changes in exterior designs signal a new image in the handsome lines of the Century.
   • Centralized control switches, more luxurious seats and door trims, and other interior design improvements make riding in the new Century an experience in refined living.
5. State-of-the-art electronic systems
   • The world's first "super monitoring display" feature, with four display functions including 12 warning lamps that help guard against such things as leaving the key inside the car, and 52 inspection, diagnosis and result displays have been engineered into the Century to achieve a new hybridization of mechanical excellence with electronic advance.
   • Multiplex optical fiber communication systems, representing the very latest perfections in information transmission technology, transmit the driver-passenger operating signals from door locks and power window switches to their respective motors and electromagnets for instant and easy response to command. This is the first application of a large-scale optical communication system in an automobile, connecting more than 60 different signals with five microcomputers via optical fibers.

Replacing the conventional C series within the model range, the new Century car lineup will consist of the D series plus a new, superbly luxury-class E series.

Major specifications of the new Century series follow.

NoteThe models described in this release are available only in Japan.