TOKYO (Dow Jones) - Crown Prince Naruhito will get more than a new title when he ascends the Japanese throne on May 1. He will also swap a Rolls-Royce for a new set of wheels -- a Toyota. The emperor won't be riding in any old Corolla. Unbeknown to most Toyota Motor Corp. customers around the world, Japan's biggest car maker has a super luxury model available only in its home country, and then only to an upper crust that includes the imperial family and corporate chieftains. It is called the Century, and retail versions start at about $175,000. Naruhito will get a custom convertible version to replace the Rolls-Royce Corniche his father rode in at his enthronement ceremony in 1990. It will debut at a parade in October. "There is a special aura to this car, because it's made for people who sit in the back seat," said Hiroyuki Kawahara, president of a club of Century owners. Introduced in 1967, the Century isn't for the flashy or hasty. Prospective customers can wait months because Toyota hand-builds each one. Background checks ensure the buyer is of an appropriate caliber, and not a member of an "antisocial organization" -- a Japanese euphemism for the yakuza crime syndicates. The Century received an overhaul last year for the first time in two decades. Fans were happy to see that not much changed. Still featured in the 21st-century edition is the seating of wool moquette, a velvety fabric that was a stylish option in the early days of the automobile. The vehicle is also available with a leather interior, in black or a cream color that Toyota calls fromage. The phoenix emblem on the Century's front grille is hand-carved from a solid block of metal. The vehicle retains its boxy exterior. Like the wood-paneled clubs frequented by Century owners, the design of the car evokes a bygone era. Japan's elite prefer their wealth and status proclaimed sotto voce. Seat massage After a night out at a private club in Tokyo's Ginza district, Sadatake Kumakura came out to the street, where a white-gloved chauffeur held the door open to his Century. Mr. Kumakura, honorary chairman of the 120-year-old pharmaceutical company Medipal Holdings Corp., was an early purchaser of the newest Century. "I have been riding in the Century for a few decades," he said. In Mr. Kumakura's new car, as in the old ones, he enjoys sitting back and reading a book. Passengers can remove their shoes thanks to the built-in shoe-horn holder and flip on a reading lamp, a $650 option. If they press a button on the rear console, the rear seat reclines and an ottoman flips out of the seat in front of them. There's also a massage function, but only on the left-rear seat -- where the most important passenger usually sits because Japan drives on the left. The exit from the rear passenger cabin is lower than the front. "To make the movement of a kimono-clad woman's silhouette look more beautiful, we had to lower the rear step," said Masato Tanabe, the vehicle's chief engineer. At 17 1/2 feet long, the Century is the size of a pickup truck and a foot-and-a-half longer than the Camry. The trunk can fit four golf bags, Toyota says. American CEOs can still get a generously appointed Lincoln Continental Reserve, with optional massage chairs and other old-time luxuries such as ashtrays in the armrest. But many US captains of industry dropped their sedans long ago, joining the rest of the American car-buying public in sport-utility vehicles. Even in Japan, there are some who find the Century passé. In addition to Rolls-Royce and Mercedes, Toyota itself provided some competition with its hybrid Lexus LS 600h and, in Japan and some other countries, the Toyota Alphard, a bulky but roomy van that can cost as much as $140,000. Lexus recently announced a four-seater version of the Alphard for China and other Asian markets with optional refrigerator that can fit two champagne bottles. While champagne frolics aren't the Century's vibe, it nods slightly to these competitors with a touch screen and USB ports for charging smart phones. It is also the first Century in which any attention was paid to how easy it is to drive, an acknowledgment that these days some CEOs want to drive themselves. The biggest difference is under the hood. The newest Century is a hybrid, pairing a five-liter V8 to an electric motor, instead of the old model's optional V12. But it's no fuel-sipping Prius. The Century gets around 32 miles a gallon under the generous Japanese test, approximately low 20s by US standards. Only in Japan Not that any American is going to encounter a Century at a US dealer. Toyota says it has no plans to sell the vehicle outside of Japan because it doesn't think the car will appeal to foreigners. Such is the allure of the Century in Japan that it has inspired a community of fans who purchase their link to imperial majesty secondhand. Members of the Phoenix club of Century owners meet once a month at a highway rest stop near Tokyo where they drink coffee and admire each other's cars. Seiji Hasegawa, a truck driver, feels he gets royal treatment when driving a Century. "People think I'm some sort of scary person," he said. "I can merge with traffic smoothly, because everyone gets out of my way."