1967 Toyota 2000 GT

Chassis No. MF10-10164

Every major car nation has its icons. And Japan, as one of the world's leading car nations, also has some models that stand out. Above all Japanese cars, however, hovers the Toyota 2000 GT – a car of superlatives. Today, Toyota is by far one of the largest car manufacturers in the world. But in the 1960s, the company still had a lot of development potential, especially in the large US market, and wanted a so-called “halo car” for it – a beautiful and ultra-modern sports car whose glamour rubbed off on the entire model range. For this purpose, Toyota worked together with Yamaha and created the Toyota 2000 GT as the first Japanese super sports car. Toyota aimed high, looking to compete with the BMW 507 and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Like these, it was built in very small numbers and was very expensive. In terms of design, it was similar to the Porsche 911 and the Jaguar E-Type, however, these were built in much higher numbers. By the end of production, only 351 examples were built between 1967 and 1970.

Powered by a 2.0-liter DOHC inline six-cylinder engine with 150 hp and a modern five-speed transmission, it achieved a top speed of 220 kph. Servo-assisted disc brakes on all four corners, a limited-slip differential, and coil springs on double wishbones were the state of the art in its day. Many long-distance world records and some very successful races, among others with Carroll Shelby, are a testament to the impressive potential of the 2000 GT. In addition to the high-quality technology, Toyota also attached great importance to a very high-quality interior in the 2000 GT, which is well-finished.
Sold new in Japan in 1967, the first year of production this example, chassis number 10164, was ordered in Pegasus White with black upholstered interior. Like the majority of 2000 GTs, this example is right-hand drive car as most of the cars were sold in Japan. The car remained in Japan until 2013, where it is said to have had only two owners. It was then sold to the UK, where it had one keeper, before being sold to its current German owner in 2015. The car has its original numbers-matching engine. At a point in its past it was repainted in silver. About 20 years ago it was restored in Japan and repainted in its original Pegasus White. The underbody was thoroughly reworked and sealed here in Germany by an experienced specialist and the interior remains in remarkably good original condition.