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While other auto manufacturers are worrying about a new Pope-mobile, or Fast & Furious product placement, the Toyota Chairman is building one-off custom cars for his friends. In this case, Akio Toyodaā€™s friend happens to be retired sumo wrestler Hakuhō Shō.

First thingā€™s first, a necessary bit of history. Toyota only began offering its luxury Lexus brand in the Japanese Domestic Market in 2005. For most of Toyotaā€™s history, the brand has been such a point of national pride in Japan, that even the wealthiest citizens wanted one. So for the domestic market, Toyota has always built top-trim luxury sedans with names such as ā€œCrownā€ and ā€œCentury.ā€

Sound familiar? Thatā€™s because Toyota is finally offering the Crown sedan in North America. Meanwhile, Japanā€™s wealthiest have turned to the new Century SUV. This SUV starts at the equivalent of $160,000 USD. And it earns every penny of that price. Its fit and finish is comparable to a Bentley or Rolls Royce.

Two sumo wrestlers and Akio Toyoda pose next to a white Toiyota Crown SUV convertible.
Toyota Crown SUV Convertible | Japan Sumo Association via YouTube

North American Toyota fans will find the centuryā€™s layout fascinating. The huge SUV shares a unibody chassis with the Grand Highlander. It shares a 3.5-liter V6 with the Lexus TX 550h+ with a PHEV setup which makes a total of 406 horsepower, delivered to all four wheels through an AWD system labeled eFour.

The automaker unveiled the new luxury SUV in September 2023, but Akio Toyoda must have already been hard at work on a one-off for his friend. Akio is the grandson of Kiichiro Toyoda, who is the founder of Toyota. In addition to having served as Toyotaā€™s CEO, Akio Toyoda is a racing enthusiast who founded Gazoo Racing and even competed in the 24 Hours of NĆ¼rburing under a pseudonym.

Hakuhō Shō is a retired sumo wrestler and chairman of the Japan Sumo Association. He is also reportedly a close friend of Akio Toyoda. The Japan Sumo Association is celebrating its 100 year anniversary, so Hakuhō Shō asked Akio Toyoda for a special vehicle for the parade. What better vehicle to celebrate a 100 year anniversary than the Toyota Century?

Toyota reportedly stiffened the suspension of an SUV to support the weight of wrestlers. Then it removed the roof, built a platform in the back, and lifted the bench seat. The resulting white-on-white Toyota Century certainly looks parade-ready.

You can see Akio Toyoda gift the SUV to Hakuhō Shō in the video below:

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Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuitĀ in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.