Photo: Wald International
In the world of full-size luxury sedans, the S-Class is king. But did you know that an understated luxobarge from Toyota predates the first generation of the King Merc?
The W116 – which is the first S-Class to bear the S-Class nameplate – entered production in 1972, whereas Toyota started rolling out the Century in the 1960s. Many decades later, the two competitors couldn’t be more different, both inside and out.
Tuning is another area that favors Mercedes-Benz, chiefly because the W222 outnumbers the G60 by a considerable margin since the golden standard from Germany is available pretty much everywhere in the world. The Century, on the other hand, is exclusive to the Japanese domestic market. It's so exclusive that the Lexus LS slots below it.
Priced at $180,000 from the get-go, the Century also happens to be more expensive than the LS with every extra ticked off the options list. The question is, can the Century get even more special? If you’re asking Wald International, the answer to that is yes.
Also responsible for the “Sports Line Black Bison Edition” widebody Toyota Hilux, the peeps at Wald International restrained themselves with the Century. The list of updates starts with 22-inch wheels, available in two designs and five finishes in total. Pricing starts from 103,000 yen and tops at 146,000 yen per wheel, translating to $955 and $1,355, respectively.
The front spoiler, side steps, rear skirt with an integrated LED lamp, and trunk spoiler round off the list of enhancements, and as expected, these mods aren’t exactly cheap either. The trunk spoiler opens the list at 118,000 yen ($1,100 at current exchange rates) while the side steps will set you back 248,000 yen ($2,305).
Wald International didn’t modify the Century under the hood, though. A naturally aspirated V8 replaces the V12 of the preceding generation, hybridized for both performance as well as efficiency. The 5.0-liter blunderbuss is good for 32 miles to the gallon under the Japanese test cycle for fuel economy, which is wishful thinking for a vehicle this heavy.
The 2UR-FSE is rated at 375 horsepower (381 PS) while the electric motor levels up the output to 425 horsepower (431 PS). Instead of a good ol’ torque-converter automatic or a quick-shifting DCT, the Century is equipped with an e-CVT to maximize efficiency.
Tuning is another area that favors Mercedes-Benz, chiefly because the W222 outnumbers the G60 by a considerable margin since the golden standard from Germany is available pretty much everywhere in the world. The Century, on the other hand, is exclusive to the Japanese domestic market. It's so exclusive that the Lexus LS slots below it.
Priced at $180,000 from the get-go, the Century also happens to be more expensive than the LS with every extra ticked off the options list. The question is, can the Century get even more special? If you’re asking Wald International, the answer to that is yes.
Also responsible for the “Sports Line Black Bison Edition” widebody Toyota Hilux, the peeps at Wald International restrained themselves with the Century. The list of updates starts with 22-inch wheels, available in two designs and five finishes in total. Pricing starts from 103,000 yen and tops at 146,000 yen per wheel, translating to $955 and $1,355, respectively.
The front spoiler, side steps, rear skirt with an integrated LED lamp, and trunk spoiler round off the list of enhancements, and as expected, these mods aren’t exactly cheap either. The trunk spoiler opens the list at 118,000 yen ($1,100 at current exchange rates) while the side steps will set you back 248,000 yen ($2,305).
Wald International didn’t modify the Century under the hood, though. A naturally aspirated V8 replaces the V12 of the preceding generation, hybridized for both performance as well as efficiency. The 5.0-liter blunderbuss is good for 32 miles to the gallon under the Japanese test cycle for fuel economy, which is wishful thinking for a vehicle this heavy.
The 2UR-FSE is rated at 375 horsepower (381 PS) while the electric motor levels up the output to 425 horsepower (431 PS). Instead of a good ol’ torque-converter automatic or a quick-shifting DCT, the Century is equipped with an e-CVT to maximize efficiency.
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