Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has a new official vehicle.
She traded her Century sedan for Toyota's most luxurious SUV, the Century SUV, keeping the tradition of the phoenix badge alive.
>>> Tigers, Rangers Meet in MLB's Inaugural Star-Spangled Sunday Finale
The vehicle was spotted in Tokyo a few days ago.
Local media tracked it carrying Takaichi from her official residence to the National Diet Building and out to Haneda Airport, trailed by a fleet of previous-generation Lexus LS sedans running security.
The PM's new Century SUV wears full black, skipping the two-tone paint that usually defines the model.
Blue identification lights and strobes sit behind the black grille, and there's an auxiliary mirror up front.
It rides on multi-spoke alloys wrapped in thick-walled tires, and the glass and panels almost certainly hide some degree of armor.
Japanese media, citing government records, report the previous car had hit its predetermined mileage cap and was due for replacement.
>>> Jannik Sinner Advances to Wimbledon Round of 16 Amid Title Defense
The SUV takes over from the third-generation Century sedan that entered service in April 2020, back when the late Shinzo Abe still held office.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that “we have been replacing vehicles while taking into consideration their condition and other factor,” but declined to disclose the exact procurement cost or the specifications of this particular government unit, citing national security concerns.
The passenger version currently starts at ¥27 million (around $167,100) in the Japanese market.
Japan's Prime Minister likely chose the high-riding model for easier ingress and egress, extra headroom, and the electrified powertrain.
The Century SUV sits on the TNGA-K architecture, with a 3.5-liter V6 plug-in hybrid setup producing a combined 400 hp (299 kW / 406 PS).
>>> Grizzly Bear Chases Moose Calf Across Denali Boardwalk
Drive reaches all four wheels through an e-CVT gearbox and Toyota's E-Four AWD system, and the 21.3 kWh battery covers up to 69 km (43 miles) of zero-emission range.
