Toyota 2000GT

Built in limited numbers, the rare Toyota 2000GT was Toyota’s sports car what changed how the world viewed Japans sports cars. The Toyota 2000GT was built from 1967 to 1970. The 2000GT showed Europe and the rest of the world it could compete with anybody. It paved the way for future Toyota sports cars such as the Celica and Supra.

Today the Toyota 2000GT is a ever sought after car by collectors and enthusiasts, seen as the first real Japanese Supercar worth collecting, and these are sold for a high value.

Toyota 2000GT Background

Alot of the work on the Toyota 2000GT was developed by Yamaha, who developed a 2 seater sports car concept for Nissan a few years earlier. They accepted Yamaha’s plan to help build the project, but used a Toyota designer.

Toyota 2000GT Engine

The 2000GT was powered by a 2.0L inline 6 3M series. Yamaha upgraded the origional engine to a DOHC verson producing 150HP. This is more than most modern cars have! The Toyota 2000GT could reach up to 135MPH! It came standard with rear wheel drive, 5 speed manual transmission, disc brakes in front and back and LSD(limited slip differential).

The interior featured a small but luxurious feel and offered a auto-seeking radio, you could enjoy the ride as a driver or a passenger.

Toyota 2000GT Production

There were only 351 regular Toyota 2000GT’s what went into production, Toyota sais all were actually Yamaha built. The 2000GT sold for around $6,800, which was more than the regular Porsche’s. Because of the high development and manufacturing cost Toyota made zero profit on the 2000GT! Only 60 +/- Toyota 2000GT’s were sold in North America, the rest were sent to various places around the world.

Toyota 2000GT Racing

Toyota entered the 2000GT in competition at home, coming third in the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix and winning the Fuji 24-Hour Race in 1967. In addition, the car set several FIA world records for speed and endurance in a 72-hour test. Unfortunately, the record car was destroyed in a pace car accident and eventually scrapped. These records shortly prompted Porsche to prepare a 911R especially to beat this record.

Carroll Shelby would also enter a pair of 2000GTs to compete in the SCCA production car races competing in the CP category. Initially Shelby built three cars, including one spare, although performing well in the 1968 season, that was the only season in the US that the car competed in. Toyota took back one of the cars and rebuilt it into a replica of their record car which still resides in Japan. Nowadays the two remaining cars still reside in the United States.