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Toyota Century G50: Japan’s Front-Engine, Rear-Wheel-Drive V12 Flagship

Introduced in 1997, the Toyota Century G50 combined a 5.0-liter V12 with front-engine, rear-wheel-drive packaging. Here are its key specifications and the limits of the “only” claim.
Entry188 Date Time2 min MechanicCarCody Team

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The second-generation Toyota Century, introduced in 1997 as the G50, paired a front-mounted 5.0-liter V12 with rear-wheel drive. Toyota described its 1GZ-FE as the first V12 developed for a Japanese passenger car. Calling it Japan’s only such car goes further than the available evidence establishes, so the defensible distinction is Toyota’s documented “first,” not a verified count of every Japanese production car.

What is the Toyota Century G50?

The G50 is the second-generation Toyota Century sedan. It debuted on April 18, 1997, replacing the original Century generation launched three decades earlier. Toyota conceived the model as a flagship focused on passenger comfort, rather than as a sports sedan.

Toyota’s 75-year vehicle history calls the 1GZ-FE “the first V12 for a Japanese passenger car.” That supports describing the Century as a landmark Japanese V12; it does not, by itself, establish that no other Japanese production car ever used a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive V12 layout.

What engine and drivetrain does the G50 use?

1GZ-FE V12

The G50’s 1GZ-FE is a 4,996 cc, double-overhead-camshaft, 48-valve V12 with VVT-i. Toyota’s historical record lists 280 PS at 5,200 rpm for representative GZG50 grades. Toyota’s 1997 launch announcement described it as a newly developed 5.0-liter V12 BEAMS engine and said it provided “some of the smoothest power available in a luxury sedan”—the manufacturer’s product description, not an independent comparison test.

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Front engine, rear-wheel drive

Toyota’s Japanese catalog identifies the GZG50 layout as FR: front engine and rear-wheel drive. Cataloged grades use a four-speed automatic transmission. These details identify the configuration, but do not make the Century a performance car; Toyota’s stated emphasis was smooth, comfortable transport.

How large is the G50, and how is it designed to ride?

Toyota’s historical record gives representative GZG50 dimensions of 5,270 mm long, 1,890 mm wide, 1,475 mm tall, and a 3,025 mm wheelbase. Listed curb mass varies by grade, at approximately 1,990–2,000 kg. The large body and long wheelbase suit the car’s flagship-sedan role.

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The suspension combines double wishbones at all four wheels with electronically controlled Skyhook air suspension. Toyota presented the system as part of the Century’s comfort-oriented engineering, not as a claim of sporting handling superiority.

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Which specifications depend on year or grade?

Not every published figure applies to every G50. For example, Toyota’s 2001 standard-specification catalog lists maximum torque of 481 N·m at 4,000 rpm and a 95-liter fuel tank. Those are figures for that cataloged 2001 specification, not a guarantee that every year and grade shares them. Toyota’s historical page likewise identifies representative grades for its power and dimension figures.

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Quick Recap

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Aoshima Toyota VG45 Century :-Type ’90 1:24 Scale Model Kit
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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