1967 Toyota 2000GT
Introduced in 1967, the Toyota 2000GT revolutionized the prestige of the Japanese auto industry as the nation’s first supercar.
The sleek, high-performance coupe emerged from a collaboration between Toyota, handling the design and marketing, and Yamaha, leveraging their engineering finesse to refine the 2000GT’s critically acclaimed engine and chassis.
Unveiled as a concept at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show, the 2000GT made its striking production debut two years later. Toyota intended this halo vehicle to showcase the pinnacle of Japanese sports car engineering and manufacturing prowess.
The 2000GT featured a cutting-edge, minimalist coupe body with curvaceous lines, long hood and short rear deck. Popping the hood revealed a 155 horsepower inline 6-cylinder engine co-developed with Yamaha based on Toyota’s Crown sedan but radically souped up.
The motor mated to a 5-speed manual feeding a rear-wheel drivetrain. This powertrain could propel the 2000GT to 135 mph – lightning fast for the era.
Equally advanced suspension, steering and all-wheel disc brakes endowed the 2000GT with marvelously nimble and controlled handling that could give contemporary European roadsters a run.
Only 351 Toyota 2000GTs rolled off the line between 1967-1970 at a sales price of around $7,000 (equivalent to about $65k today).
Due to its rarity, the 2000GT remains one of Japan’s most valuable collector cars (many examples have sold for well over $1 million), cementing its status as an automotive icon.
The 2000GT gained further fame appearing in the 1967 James Bond film “You Only Live Twice”, sporting a one-off convertible body style that never reached production. For pioneering Japanese sports car engineering and design on the world stage, the 2000GT stands celebrated.
Credit: Bring A Trailer
