In 1967 and 1970, Toyota collaborated with Yamaha to design the Toyota 2000GT as a limited production vehicle which essentially revolutionised the automotive’s perspective of Japanese cars.
This two-seater automobile is a front-engine, rear-wheel drive, hardtop coupe grand tourer, and was first introduced to the public in 1965 at the Tokyo Motor Show.
The Toyota 2000GT was an exclusive vehicle in all Toyota Japanese retail stores.
With that said, this automobile was a sleek, high-performance fastback that could rival against some of the top-notch European carmakers.
In a reviewing pre-production article released in 1967 for Road & Track Magazine, the Toyota 2000GT was summed up as; “one of the most exciting and enjoyable cars we’ve driven”, and was even compared to the Porsche 911.
With such success in it’s time, Toyota’s first supercar is now a sought after collectable that has car enthusiasts hooked.
Some of these remarkable vehicles have been sold at auctions for more than $1.2 million.
The 2000GT’s first race was entered in 1966, coming in third at the Japanese Grand Prix and a year later taking the winning title of the Fuji 24-Hour Race in 1967.
Now we know a car is successful when it makes it into a classic Bond movie, which is exactly the role the 2000GT landed for ‘You Only Live Twice.’
Debuting as a convertible make especially for the film itself, however retaining the original fastback profile, however removing the rear side windows.
Bond actor, Daniel Craig, stated the Toyota 2000GT was his favourite Bond car of all time – now that’s a big call!
