Toyota is said to be working on a new twin-turbocharged V12 engine, with unconfirmed reports it’s being earmarked for the forthcoming ultra-luxury Century coupe.
Company chairman Akio Toyoda unveiled the Century Concept at the 2025 Tokyo motor show – with the vehicle rumoured to be a personal passion project of the executive – but details of the vehicle’s powertrain have yet to be officially announced.
Citing company sources, Japanese publication Magazine X claims Toyota is working on a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 with hybrid assistance – putting out an estimated 600kW of combined power – with the Century created to rival the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
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“Japan as a nation seems to have lost some of its energy and dynamism, along with our presence in the world … If [founder] Kiichiro and [original Century engineer, Kenya] Nakamura could see Japan today, what would they say?” asked Toyoda-san at the Century Concept unveiling.
“I suspect they wouldn’t say anything, and instead leap straight into action … I believe now more than ever, we need the Century.”
While the previous generation of the Century sedan was powered by a V12, the current Century sedan uses a hybrid V8, with the mechanically unrelated Century SUV getting a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 3.5-litre V6 engine.
It’s believed the Lexus LFA supercar came with a V10 engine to ensure a V12 was reserved for the Century – which sits above all others in Toyota’s model hierarchy, including Lexus.
The rumour comes after Toyota revealed it was developing a new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder – with expectations the engine will feature across its high-performance Gazoo Racing lineup.
The Japanese auto giant also unveiled the GR GT sports car in December 2025, powered by an all-new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with hybrid technology.
In the days following, Toyota Australia executives admitted they were considering launching the Century brand in Australia, with sales and servicing to potentially become the responsibility of the Lexus dealer network locally.
