What’s the usual taxi in your area? It obviously depends where you are, but I bet it’s something decently large, but also economical. Like a Prius or a Ford Escape. Or, if you’re in Europe, a big Škoda or a Peugeot; Maybe a Mercedes or Lexus, for a little more pizzazz. In Japan, the usual choice is the new JPN Taxi, the old Crown Comfort or the Y31 Cedric. There are unusual choices available too. How about a hand-built, V12-powered mastodon with gadgets galore?
This post is not going to delve into the 1997-2017 G50 Century as such. I’ll write that in due course (it deserves a proper long-form CC). But now that this generation of Century is slowly sliding towards banger status, some are being repurposed for the humble (but harsh) servitude of the meter.
On the one hand, the Century’s main role was always to be chauffeured, so it’s just as good at it with a light on its roof as it was in government service, or at the beck and call of some CEO. On the other hand, it’s ludicrously overqualified for the job.
No cab driver would complain about this for a workstation. Real wood (courtesy of Yamaha), real Ruikyo wool upholstery, real nice! But the business end, as is the case for all taxis, is the back seat.
Acres of legroom, of course. But what happened to the power-operated lace curtains and the obligatory seat doilies? Just doesn’t feel like the pinnacle of Japanese luxury without these. The amount of gadgets hidden about in these is crazy: TV, DVD, a 12-speaker stereo system, reclining, massaging, cooled and heated seats, Dictaphone, reading lights, vanity mirrors, and the famous front seat “ottoman” feature that enables the left rear passenger to fully stretch their legs – all that for the price of a cab fare?
And then there’s that 5-litre V12 doing all the work – very discreetly. Officially, it produces only 280hp, but it’s alleged at least 50 uncredited extra ponies are pulling along. Being a series II (2005-10), this car has a 6-speed automatic, bringing fuel consumption down to 18mpg on average. Yes, you read that right.
I guess that substantial trunk should also be put in the positive column. But man, 18mpg. For those of us who prefer our metrics in, er, metric, that’s 12.8 litres / 100 km. That’s a thirsty taxi.
This is not a (beautifully lacquered) black swan, either. Century G50 taxis are rare, but I’ve caught a half dozen over the years. Both of the green plate variety (meaning registered as a commercial car) like our feature cab, or of the privateer white-plate kind.
How can running a Century be anywhere near financially viable? Well, one of the Golden Chicken’s secrets could be CNG, which was offered from 2003 on from the factory (but should be indicated on the car somewhere), or an aftermarket LPG conversion.
That would go some way towards helping with running costs. A new G60 Century would be even better, as those are hybrids and have a more modern engine (still a 5-litre V8, though), so 32mpg can be expected. But the asking price is steep: about ¥20m, compared to ¥3-5m for a second-hand G50.
I must be missing something here, but this taxi makes no sense to me. I would, however, gladly fork out a few thousand yen to ride in one for a spell. It’s on the bucket list, and I’ll make sure to document it and report my findings if it ever happens.
Related posts:
Car Show Outtake: 1997 Toyota Century – An Expression Of Japanese Dignity, by Johannes Dutch
Perpetual Classic: 2013 Toyota Century: The Ultimate Brougham Time Machine, by MCC.PJ
For close to 40 years until fairly recent times, a taxi here meant a Ford Falcon.
Interestingly, GM Holden were eventually happy to surrender that market to Ford, whilst making very sure police cars were Holdens. They worked out that the taxi tends to drag the image downmarket somewhat, associated with smells and stains and utterly buggered suspensions on 700K mile wrecks, and dodgy fares, a casual attitude to road rules, the same for punctuality and direct routes, and a talkative disregard for the political sensibilities of the paying customer.
The Falcs were universally run on LPG, and Ford even made a factory conversion. A hardworking (though smooth) 4 litre six wouldn’t do much beyond 17 mpg in town. The universal replacement Camry Hybrids (locally made till Toyota shut up shop in 2017) also run the petrol engine on lpg to this day.
Occasionally, probably about as often as you’d score a Century in Tokyo, you’ll get a 6.2 V8 Holden Statesman, and with 118 inch wheelbase, they make the Century seem small in the back. Leather, wood, room, nice! (I’d understand US readers who’ve been in one may not want to comment – the Chev PPV is the same car with a rubbermaid interior, and usually, a pretty specific destination for the passenger that the said passenger did not choose, but I digress).
about as often as you’d score a Century in Tokyo, you’ll get a 6.2 V8 Holden Statesman, and with 118 inch wheelbase, they make the Century seem small in the back.
Really? The Century has a longer wheelbase and its boxy body seems more space efficient. And of course it was conceived to give its elite rear seat riders maximum comfort above all else.
Google cannot seem to find the rear legroom specs of either of them, but maybe someone else can. Or maybe it’s not worth pursuing. But in any case, I find it hard to believe that the shorter wb Statesman will make the Century seem small in the back.
Car & Driver wrote in 2011 that GM stated the Caprice PPV with the 118 wheelbase had 4″ more rear legroom than a Crown Vic. 2011 Crown Vic shows 39.6″ for rear legroom so adding one figure to the other makes 43.6″ of unverified by my own 32″ inseam legroom in the CPPV/Statesman. The Century as pictured looks larger to me in that regard but I can’t find a figure either. But of course if your Century driver is normal Tokyo cab driver size/stature, well, that leaves far more legroom in the back than a Caprice PPV chauffeured by a 6,2″ 250lb Boston constable for example.
The Century has a paltry 0.5 inch wheelbase gain, and is only .09 inch higher, but I reckon the bonnet of the much older Japanese design takes up quite a bit of its road length compared to the Holden.
When Zeta was greenlit, assuming much of the sales would be premium, the Holden engineers formed a wish-list and said “can we have?” and mostly got “yes”, hence things like the almost front-mid engine position of the motor, and resultant short bonnet (all the Holdens are essentially 50:50 weight balanced), though it must be added that when the global thing didn’t happen, the super-strong chassis they wanted was built in much heavier steels than they’d intended, resulting in the overweight nature of the platform as produced.
Having looked at a few online pics and vids, I’d almost put money on the Holden being roomier except perhaps in headroom. What a bizarre comparison this is (which I did admittedly start), though I suppose it could be said the leaders of both countries were both ferried about in one of each, and each is now a premium taxi, so there’s that!
The usual taxi around here is a CRV or a Camry with an Uber sticker.
A good looking car no matter what it’s being used for .
-Nate
I’d be thrilled beyond belief to get a taxi ride in a Century! I also don’t understand how this could be economically viable, but that doesn’t diminish my appreciation for the idea.
Around here, I used to occasionally see unusual taxis, like older-model Buicks or Cadillacs, but that doesn’t seem to happen much anymore. I’m not sure whether it’s due to stricter regulation from local Taxi Boards, or consolidation in the taxi industry, but the variety is gone (and also largely replaced by ride-share vehicles, anyway).
For-hire black luxury cars seem to be the vehicles of choice for airport shuttles and other for-hire executive car companies – not sure if Japan has these types of services too.
Cabs here come in many varied flavours there is not set spec except for Corporate cabs which now Fairlanes cant be had from OZ have gone the Skoda Superb route, Tesla taxis are becoming more common, Toyota Centurys are arriving ex JDM but not yet as taxis.
Rare taxi? how about the 1939 Austin 16 I wrote up years ago that is a currently inspected taxi registered tour car in Napier or the small fleet of prewar Packards that still pass a commercial certificate of fitness every 6 months for the same role.
Unusual taxi would be the 39 Austin 16 I wrote up years ago, its still on the road doing that along with a prewar Buick and several Packards, all those cars pass a 6 monthly Commercial certificate of fitness and are tour cars in Napier, Teslas are multiplying in the taxi role in south Auckland, Skoda Superbs have replaced Aussie Fairlanes for Corporate cab co and Camry hybrids obliterated the factory falcon cabs with a warranty Ford couldnt match, other than those outfits it seems anything goes, Toyota Century V12s arent exactly taxi grade cars yet but I’d hail an old Packard first, actually you have to book them.
I remember years ago getting a ride in a Holden Caprice taxi in Sydney. I was there on business, and my wife had booked an ‘executive’ taxi to meet me at the airport. What an experience! The driver was an extremely well-dressed older gent, obviously used to meeting pre-booked passengers at the airport, extremely polite. The perfect chauffeur for a tourist in a strange city.
I can see the Century fitting into a similar role, impressing tourists as the driver whisks them to their destination. effortlessly.
I think the best taxi that was a former “real car” I ever randomly got was a Mercedes W126 in Morocco. It was a delight to see it pull up in front of us amongst the sea of W123s long distance taxis at the time (fall of 2000), like a shark amongst the minnows (and the plankton that were the uniformly red Pug 205s that were the “in-town” taxis). As I recall it took us to the airport in Marrakesh, I can’t remember which engine it had, likely whatever the weakest diesel was and very likely with more miles on it than any in Western captivity. I’m sure a Century would be more magnificent but also a lot more expensive to ride in…
You would be surprised how many Crown Vic Taxis are still tooling around Concord.
Uruguay doesn’t allow used cars to be put into service as taxis. Add that to the 1.80 USD per litre gas, and most new taxis are small electrics or 1.0 gas. Never, ever, had an interesting car as a cab, save for my first trip to the US when I got a livery Town Car at the airport. Needless to say, that was my first Lincoln ever, it was brand new, and I was disappointed to be able to hear some mechanical noise (minimum, but I hoped it would be nothing). Anyway, leaving O’Hare in a Town Car was one of those moments to be treasured.