Toyota Made Japan's Only Production V12, And It Was A Lover, Not A Fighter

Toyota has been going done immoderate motor woes lately, but nan institution has still birthed immoderate genuinely kickass powertrains complete nan years. The fourth-generation Supra's 2JZ-GTE inline-six, for example, is practically a cliché astatine this constituent arsenic a tuner favorite, owing to its Godzilla-like resilience and expertise to crank retired 1,000+ horses pinch nan correct aftermarket treatments. You've besides sewage nan brand's famously economical four-bangers, for illustration nan high-tech (for its time) 4A-GE of nan mid-to-late '80s, and nan nigh-unbreakable UZ bid of small-block V8s. But 1 of Toyota's astir elegant engines is besides 1 of nan astir overlooked -– astatine least, until rather recently.

Enter nan 1GZ-FE: a purpose-built, 5.0-liter, people aspirated V12. It was utilized successful only 1 conveyance — nan second-gen loop of Toyota's JDM flagship Century sedan — and holds nan favoritism of being nan only 12-banger developed and built by a Japanese automaker. Just for illustration the corporate execs who were chauffeured astir successful nan hulking Century, this monolithic centrifugal projects quiet and composed power. The 1GZ-FE isn't ostentatious, loud, aliases moreover particularly powerful, but its understated entreaty is undeniable.

So really did this soft-spoken 12-cylinder travel to fruition? And what makes it (perhaps) 1 of nan astir underrated engines ever produced by Toyota? Crank up nan measurement connected your favourite citypop medium and publication connected to study much astir nan 1GZ-FE -– and really Japan's only domestically produced V12 has recovered itself successful nan enthusiast spotlight lately.

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The 1GZ-FE (or conscionable "GZ", if you're nasty) was developed successful nan precocious 1990s, pinch nan circumstantial extremity of powering nan second-gen Century that launched successful 1997. The motor, which "officially" produces astir 276 hp and 340 pound-feet of torque, was taxable to nan Japanese car industry's alleged "gentleman's agreement" efficaciously putting nan 276-ish horsepower headdress connected JDM vehicles. As pinch galore JDM cars, nan Century's precise specs are a small hazy, but these look to beryllium beautiful adjacent to Toyota's ain charismatic claimed powerfulness output.

While acold from a powerhouse connected ink, nan 1GZ-FE's torque set successful nan low- and midrange was brawny and unwavering. Along pinch being comparatively fuel-efficient (as overmuch arsenic a 12-banger tin be, astatine least), nan 1GZ-FE and Toyota Century were an perfect pairing that allowed nan astir 4,400-pound sedan to easy overtake lowly kei cars connected nan byzantine streets of Tokyo and Osaka.

The 1GZ-FE wasn't conscionable low-key potent and reasonably thrifty. It was besides incredibly refined and quiet, which was perfect for its sole ngo of powering a sedan that toted C-suiters and moreover nan Japanese royal family.

After a two-decade run, accumulation of nan second-gen Century (and pinch it, Japan's only accumulation V12) ended successful 2017. Toyota switched to a much businesslike and powerful (but little cool) hybrid powertrain for nan current-gen Century saloon.

While it mightiness beryllium retired of production, nan V12 Century isn't going anyplace immoderate clip soon. As tin beryllium ascertained by nan gajillions of societal media reels and, ahem, car blog posts, some nan Century and its 1GZ-FE powerplant person seen a large uptick successful fame among JDM fans successful nan 2020s. Much of that is owed to a much caller influx of V12 Century models into nan U.S. acknowledgment to nan 25-year JDM import rule.

With rumors swirling about a caller 800-horsepower Toyota V12, nan O.G. 1GZ-FE mightiness not clasp nan title of "the only Japanese V12 ever made" for overmuch longer. But acknowledgment to JDM enthusiasts, car historians, and Toyota fans, nan occurrence of nan 1GZ-FE continues to beryllium kept alive.