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Also known as Japan’s first supercar, the 1967-1970 Toyota 2000GT made a splash when it arrived, rivaling European makes, competing and doing quite well in several races including the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix (arriving in third place) and the 1966 Fuji 1000 Kilometer (taking first place), and making an appearance in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice. With only 351 units made, the vehicle is now valued at over a million dollars. The original price tag ran around $6,800.00.
Some of these beauties reside in the homes of collectors such as Jay Leno (If you want to see his white 1966 2000GT, you can check out the YouTube clip from Jay Leno’s Garage here – and it should be noted that while the car was produced from 1967-1970, it was first unveiled in 1965, hence the discrepancy in the dates), while others were modified for films and still others remain in Japan on display. Only 60 of these cars are in North America.
The Toyota 2000GT has a five-speed manual transmission with rear wheel drive, able to go from 0-60 in about 10 seconds (It can go from 0-100 in 24 seconds). It can reach speeds up to 135mph, and was the first Japanese car to have both a limited slip differential and all-round power-assisted disc brake (the emergency brake grips the back discs directly). Most were painted red or white, though some appear to be cream or a pale yellow.
Satoru Nozaki’s design for the 2000GT was inspired by the E-Type Jaguar, as you can see in the sleek, low-to-the-ground body. Its long nose and slight curves hint at luxury and power, but spotting one is akin to seeing a real jaguar in the wild. Chances are few and far between, but breathtaking if you ever have the opportunity.
