This year, Toyota has been rampaging on the US automotive market like a wounded animal that turns feral when threatened – in this case, by GM's domination of the half-year sales.
Since the beginning of the year, they have launched countless new models like the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, Corolla Cross Hybrid, the entire Corolla Nightshade family (and some Nightshade CUVs), the 2024 Grand Highlander three-row crossover SUV, a trio of GR-focused special editions (GR86 Trueno, GR Corolla Circuit, GR Supra 45th Anniversary), plus the N400 Tacoma and Land Cruiser superstars.
Now, though, the Japanese automaker is focusing on the autumn harvest of new model year editions like the Tundra 1794 Limited Edition, Highlander Hybrid Nightshade, or Corolla Cross Hybrid Nightshade, among many others. But what about new introductions?
No worries, the imaginative realm of digital car content creators is taking care of that well, even if Toyota doesn't necessarily want to. For example, back in early September, the company presented at home the 2023 model year of the Century sedan, which has long been a staple of the JDM limousine sector. Now, though, it was joined by a fresh derivative – the first-ever Toyota Century SUV.
Interestingly, the Japanese automaker will produce the model that rivals Rolls-Royce's Cullinan and Bentley's Bentayga (at a much lower pricing point) on the same modular architecture – the TNGA-K version of the platform – as the North American market exclusive Toyota Grand Highlander and Lexus TX. Even the powertrain will be the same with the latter's TX 550h+ version, a 406-horsepower plug-in hybrid option based on a V6 aided by two electric motors.
However, there's no word about the Toyota Century SUV breaking out of Japan to pose a threat to the rest of the ultra-luxury SUV establishment. This is a very saddening fact, according to some Toyota fans hoping to see the Century SUV bring some much-needed Japanese bling to the American aftermarket sector. Anyway, that doesn't mean there aren't any solutions.
Albeit some of them are pretty unorthodox because they come from the imaginative realm of digital car content creators. For example, this virtual artist, better known as Theottle on social media, has resorted to CGI slicing and dicing the new Toyota Century SUV and a Corolla Cross for his latest digital project. The main idea is pretty simple – if the rumor mill claims Toyota is ready to shrink the TNGA-F platform of the 2024 Land Cruiser and Lexus GX to make a baby Land Cruiser (allegedly titled Land Hopper), then why not a Toyota Century Junior, too?
As such, the pixel master decided to reskin the affordable and rather bland Toyota Corolla Cross with the posh looks and ritzy feel of the Toyota Century SUV to create this Junior version with a shortened GA-K version of the platform. Interestingly, if that ever happened, Toyota would effectively give a slap in the face of premium compact SUVs from Cadillac, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and even Lexus, right?
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News