For years Japan’s Prime Minister has rolled in style in a traditional Toyota Century sedan. However, when it came to choose her new ride Sanae Takaichi opted for a new Century SUV. Videos of her motorcade, which features the SUV flanked by a fleet of Lexus LS and Crown sedans, have begun showing up online.
Previous Prime Ministers have all used the Century sedan. The SUV replaces the Century sedan that was purchased during the second term of Shinzo Abe, in 2020 (seen at 6:20 in the video above). Rather than the typical two-tone paint job, the SUV is all black, including a blacked out grille hiding blue ghost lights.
Officials declined to disclose the cost of the new SUV, citing security concerns. Likely, it sports some features that aren’t exactly your typical options. They also stated that the previous Century had reached a predetermined mileage cap and was due for replacement.
Sanae Takaichi is, of course, a known Toyota enthusiast. She still owns a white 1991 Toyota Supra 2.5GT Twin-Turbo Limited, the first car she ever purchased. She’s closely associated with the car, and a supporter even built a 1/24 scale model of it. It was recently restored and has been on display at museums in Japan. Perhaps one day we’ll see her driving around in it, like the emperor with his Honda Integra. The Supra speeding along the expressway surrounded by a squadron of black Lexus LS sedans would be quite a sight.
Money does not buy taste.
Seems like that applies to tax money as well.
Their government’s vehicular department or whatever it is probably asked Toyota which Century they would like to see put on such a stage, and Toyota gladly offered their newest and greatest offering, which is the SUV.
But yeah, I am a bit sad, nothing beats a nice long low sedan.
That said, a good while ago over here, elected politicians asked to ditch the old luxury cars and for their official vehicles to be minivans in order to show that their party was “family-oriented”. It seems weird at first, but a loaded Toyota Sienna can be damn comfy and roomy, but lately and many elections later it went to SUVs. Toyota, Jeeps, Mazdas, I wish I could know the reason behind the choice of makes.
Lame.
Grateful I was there to see the age of Crown Comfort taxis and V12 Centurys.
It’s interesting how the men lean out of the back windows of the sedans to tell other drivers to slow down and allow the motorcade to merge into traffic. In the US, police and Secret Service close off side roads so that the presidential motorcade can drive through an area without traffic.
For an SUV, the Century doesn’t look too bad. I think it looks a lot better than the vans that are in these videos. It appears to have bullet-proof windows, and maybe a divider behind the front seats.
It is a bit surprising to see Japanese Prime Minister vehicle fighting for traffic in Tokyo. Unlike US Presidential vehicle often accompanied by a large fleet of support vehicles often is driven on the blocked road with local police escort and protected by heavily armed Secret Service personnel. Also, as seen in the last video, the prime minister personnel have to stick the body out on the moving vehicles to guide the prime minister vehicle as it merges into to highway. That is a quite dangerous for the personnel doing such task. I believe the more effective way is to have police cars blocking the highway in advance. In New York City, NYPD even does this for NYC mayor, NYS governor and other high profile politicians