2000GT (Japan, 1967)

The Toyota 2000 GT is a sports car that the Japanese brand debuted in 1965. Toyota built this model from 1967 to 1970 in quite limited numbers. It is currently considered to be the first real collectible Japanese automobile and also the first “supercar” made in Japan.

The Toyota 2000 GT was released at the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show. This Japanese model came to prove that car builders from Japan could equally compete with the European manufacturers in sports cars. When production of the 2000 GT ceased, only a scarce amount of 337 units had been produced.

A standard 2.0 L front, longitudinally mounted engine was offered with the Toyota 2000 GT, except for 9 special models with a 2.3-liter engine. The car produced 150 hp and reached a top speed of 135 mi/h (217 km/h). The rear-wheel drive 2000 GT comes with a 5-speed manual transmission.

Steel frame with welded semi-unit body.   Platform
  Suspension
  Steering Rack-and-pinion.   Brakes Four-wheel power-assisted disc brakes with vacuum assist.

The 2-door coupé 2000 GT was actually built by Yamaha Motor Company, as this company worked for several automakers, such as Toyota, besides having its own business. The German-American car designer Albrecht Goertz, who was working at Yamaha at the time, is believed to be the main responsible for the car’s original design. However, when Yamaha offered Toyota the concept design, Toyota’s designer Satoru Nozaki intervened as well in the sketch.   The styling lines of the 2000 GT considerably resemble the ones from the Jaguar E-Type, which Goerz is believed to have sought inspiration from. The aluminum-made sleek and smooth body shell is completed with characteristic pop-up headlights.

In 1966, Toyota introduced the 2000 GT in racing competition at the Japanese Grand Prix, which it finished in third place. Not quite satisfied, the 2000 GT would win the also Japanese Fuji 24-Hour race in 1967. The same Toyota model would also set a few world speed and endurance records in a FIA 72-hour test. A couple of 2000 GT cars entered the SCCA production car races, in order to compete in the CP category.