The Toyota 2000GT is the perfect car for a Japanese collector. When this car first came out, it was a major technological advancement. It was the model that inspired both the Lexus LFA and the new GR GT. This CART icon, Bobby Rahal, owns this one now, and it has a great history. The Toyota 2000GT is number one in the Japanese collector car market, and everything else is number two. This is the top-of-the-line JDM steel Toyota. It’s special, handmade, and unlike any other. You can currently buy this cheerful red model on Bring a Trailer, a Hearst Autos brand that also offers invoice pricing. Bring a Trailer is part of Hearst Autos, and it also offers invoice pricing. This 1967 2000GT was set up for right-hand driving and owned by Bobby Rahal, who is a famous figure in Indianapolis. You still have time to add it to Santa’s wish list. The 800 Sport was Toyota’s first SUV. It was a toy-like car with a horizontally opposed two-cylinder engine, much like the Citroën 2CV. Not really great, but very interesting. On the other hand, a 2000GT and a new Jaguar E-Type stopped next to each other could look like two attractive people at a fancy Christmas party. There’s no doubt that the SCCA 2000GT is Toyota’s most famous model. Two years ago, one of the race cars sold for $2.5 million. The problem is that the company didn’t really make it. Instead, it was planned and built by hand with Yamaha’s help. Their relationship led to a lot of great Toyota products, from the original MR2’s cylinder head to the noise the Lexus LFA makes when you rev that amazing V-10 to its 9000-rpm redline. The 2000GT and the GR GT, which was just released, are closely connected. Toyota’s first grand tourer was a pretty advanced car for its time in the 1960s. Fifteen-inch magnesium wheels, control arms on all four corners, and disc brakes all around are part of the suspension system. Toyota was the first to use the rack-and-pinion handling. Then there’s the 2.0-liter inline-six engine with three carbs. It’s as smooth as whole milk. Even though it only has about 150 horsepower, the Jaguar Six growls and the 2000GT purrs, which makes me think of the E-Type again. This is not a car for criminals, though. Get a haircut if you’re taller than 5’10”. The 2000GT is only 46 inches tall, and there isn’t much space, so people with long torsos would not fit. Sean Connery is six feet two inches tall, so Toyota had to make a few convertibles for him to drive in You Only Live Twice as James Bond. Sources say that this case was first sent to Mozambique, probably to the Most Interesting Man in the World, and then from the United States to Costa Rica. It was sold again on Bring a Trailer after a full remodel in Costa Rica more than ten years ago. Right now, the dealership where it is sold is run by Bobby Rahal, a three-time CART winner. This car just won the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. It looks and works better now because a UK expert did most of the work. Peak Toyota may be made in the millions. Still, only the original Mazda Cosmo comes close to the artistry of Japanese craftsmanship. It should cost a lot because this is the best Japanese car for collectors to buy. The person who bids the most will be able to pick up this car the day after Christmas.
