produced for export, with some going to the United States for promotional and testing purposes. Several were in use as corporate cars for Toyota's North American executives. , the G50 remains the only generation of the Century to have officially been exported and sold outside of Japan. The Century was Toyota's most luxurious model at its inception in 1967, and maintained this status throughout the 20th century. Today, it is positioned above the Lexus line-up, and remained the most luxurious and prestigious model to wear the Toyota badge. The Century shared the role of flagship with the Crown Majesta and Celsior with almost identical dimensions to the Century but with a more modern approach and appearance that appealed to younger buyers, and both vehicles were exclusive to the Toyota Store dealership network in Japan. In contrast to other luxurious cars (such as the Maybach or Rolls-Royce), the Century has not been positioned and marketed as a sign of wealth or excess. Marketing literature states roughly that, "the Century is acquired through persistent work, the kind that is done in a plain but formal suit." Like other cars in the top of the luxury class, the Century is designed with the rear passengers in mind. Hence, the rear seats recline and the front passenger seat (in right-hand drive cars only) has a fold-down center section so that a passenger in the back may stretch their feet forward. The rear seats are equipped with a massage system. The exterior door handles open the doors electrically since the sound of the door being opened mechanically is perceived as being "too obtrusive". The doors are equipped with a soft-close mechanism, allowing the door to pull itself completely closed electrically when the latch makes contact with the striker. In Japan, the vehicles' interiors are usually ordered in wool cloth, rather than the leather seen in many luxury cars; leather is not as quiet as cloth when sat upon. The vehicle interior colors are limited to medium brown, light brown, burgundy, gray or royal blue inside, with a choice of five exterior colors including black. The Century is distinguished by different paint options than the rest of the Toyota line-up, and color choices have culturally significant names. They are , , , and . The painting of each car is one of the most detailed in the manufacturing process. It involves hand painting, followed by wet