According to Japanese publication Best Car Web, Toyota may transform its Century sedan into an SUV. For those who are unfamiliar, the Century is Toyota's most luxurious model (yes, including Lexus) that's only sold in Japan. Previous models used a smooth V12 engine while the current generation employs a 5.0-liter V8 with a hybrid system. The new report states that the Century SUV would downsize to a 3.5-liter V6 but keep the hybrid.

This is the same setup currently used in the Lexus LS Hybrid and LC Hybrid. In those model, the powertrain delivers 354 horsepower. Toyota reportedly thinks the V6 is plenty for personal use, and the extra cylinders will convince buyers to upgrade from the Crown, which uses a turbocharged four-pot.

How accurate is this report? Well, we've recently seen Toyota take a storied nameplate and turn it into an SUV, so the Century could have a similar transformation. The Toyota Crown is sold in four body styles globally, but we only get the Crossover Type model here in the United States. Of course, even if this rumor is true, it doesn't mean the Century SUV will be sold outside of Japan.

Eye witnesses say they spotted Toyota testing a taller Century model that looked reminiscent of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan. If you stretched a Century on photoshop it would probably have similar proportions to the Roller.

As for where such a vehicle would slot in the market, the report believes Toyota would price the Century SUV anywhere from $76,000 to $114,000. The Lexus LX 600 Ultra Luxury with the four-seat layout costs $126,000, so we doubt Toyota would offer a similar product in the US market that's so close in price.

This report is still very much speculative, so we'll continue to monitor the situation if any new information emerges.