Parading in a Toyota Century SUV Convertible through the town is a reason many would buy the car in the first place. But wait a minute! The Century is not a convertible! Well, it is now!
Toyota took the Century SUV Convertible to the Grand Sumo Tournament in Japan and showed that two Sumo wrestlers could very well fit in the modified cabin of the vehicle, which left its standard SUV looks far behind.
The convertible was specifically requested by a retired sumo wrestler who intends to use it as a parade car for future champions. The original proposal coming from Toyota was reportedly a modified Toyota Crown. But the Sumo Association officials declined the offer and specifically asked for the Century.
The model was unveiled outside the Ryogoku Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo in the presence of Toyota's Chairman, Akio Toyoda. He was accompanied by the Japan Sumo Association director Yamayasu Shibata and committee member Sho Miyagino.
The drop-top SUV marks the 100th anniversary of Sumo, which will be celebrated in 2025 and will be the Japanese Association's official parade car.
The lower section of the vehicle remains unchanged from the production version of the SUV. But the roof and pillars have been chopped off to turn the vehicle into a convertible. To make up for the lost rigidity, Toyota had to reinforce the body of the Century, which, naturally, added weight. To offset the extra weight, Toyota had to rework the suspension.
Photo: Japan Sumo Association official channel
There is no change in proportions. The four-door convertible is finished in white over an ivory interior and rides on multi-spoke alloy wheels.
The carmaker also came up with a new layout for the cabin. The rear seats were deleted and replaced with a raised bench for the sumo champions to sit on during the parade while waving at the crowds. A very short backrest showed up at the rear, and there is a huge amount of legroom on board. That space looks like it can accommodate several athletes.
Toyota does not mention any changes to the powertrain. This means that there is still the stock 3.5-liter V6 engine working under the hood in a plug-in hybrid layout. Thus, the model benefits from the presence of 406 horsepower (412 metric horsepower), delivered to all four corners via the e-CVT transmission and the E-Four Advanced all-wheel drive system.
The lithium-ion battery pack stores enough energy for a zero-emission drive of up to 43 miles (69 kilometers). We have no idea of the impact of the sumo wrestlers on that range, though.
The Century SUV is Toyota's most expensive model. Customers in Japan can order it for the equivalent of $170,000, and that's before checking any option boxes. The carmaker has not unveiled the cost of this build, though.
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