The royal parade car will transport Emperor Naruhito to the coronation ceremony on Oct 22.

The Toyota Century is a luxurious barge that serves Japan’s well-to-do. Although it has been around since late 1960s, only three generations of the Toyota Century have changed. The 2018 model year will see the new. This is timely as Japan has a new Emperor, Naruhito. He ascended to power in May. Back then , we reported that he would receive a new convertible Century version. Now, the car is here. It almost did arrive.

Japanese Nostalgic Car reports that the drop-top has been dubbed the Royal Parade Car and will be used by Emperor Naruhito as well as the royal family for the official coronation ceremony. This gala will be held on October 22nd. With VIPs from over 190 countries expected, Emperor Naruhito will need something special for the short parade route.

Making a Grand Entry:

What is known about the Century convertible? Unfortunately, we don’t know much about the special Century convertible. The machine is nearly 18 feet long and has a huge engine. The standard Century has a hybrid powertrain that combines a 5.0-liter V8 and electric motors to produce a total of 425 horsepower (317 kilowatts), which is identical to the Lexus LS600h. Japanese Nostalgic Car states that this convertible is slightly taller than the standard Century, and has seatbacks that are 25 degrees higher so royal guests are visible more during parade.

The Century is Japan’s first parade car in almost 30 years. The role was previously filled by a Rolls-Royce Corniche III, but it was only used once and needed significant updating in order to be used on this special occasion.