Turns Out There's More Than One Toyota Century GRMN

Very few people get to ride in aToyota Century. The automaker only makes about 50 of them each month, and sells them mostly to captains of industry, senior government ministers, members of the imperial household, and (more likely than not) a handful of Yakuza crime bosses. But even fewer get to ride in aCentury GRMN.

In fact, until yesterday, we knew of only one in existence – built bythe automaker's performance divisionfor its chief executive Akio Toyoda. But at theTokyo Auto Salonearlier this month, the company showcased a second example.

Positioned even higher than aLexus LS, the Toyota Century is Japan's idea of aRolls-Royce Phantom. The first version launched in 1967 and remained in production (however limited) for 30 years. The second arrived in 2006 and stuck around until just last year when it was replaced by the third, abandoning the bespoke V12 that powered its predecessor in favor of a hybrid V8, and bringing with it all manner of modernized amenities.

Just what sets the GRMN version apart, we can't say for sure. But it appears to roll on its own set of wheels, with a red-accented aero package.