Toyota 2000GT

Most of the 2000GT's design was done by Yamaha, which also did much automobile work for other Japanese manufacturers, originally for Nissan rather than Toyota. A prototype 2000GT was built, but Nissan declined. Yamaha then proposed the design to Toyota, for whom they also did contract work, then perceived as the most conservative of the Japanese car manufacturers. Wishing to improve their image, Toyota accepted the proposal, but employed a design from their own designer Satoru Nozaki.[3][4]

Toyota 2000GT from rear

The 2000GT incorporated many classic 1960s gran turismo design elements. Nozaki's styling was inspired by the E-type Jaguar.[5] Its smoothly flowing bodywork was executed in aluminium and featured pop-up headlights above large plexiglass covered driving lamps flanking the grille similar to those on the Toyota Sports 800. Bumpers were minimal, and the car was extremely low, just 116 cm (45.7 in) to the highest point of the roof. Despite a custom open-top version built for the James Bond film You Only Live Twice, a factory-produced convertible was never offered.

Toyota 2000GT dashboard

The interior offered comfortable, if cramped, accommodation and luxury touches such as a rosewood-veneer dashboard and auto-seeking radio tuner. Road & Track was impressed, considering the interior suited to a "luxurious GT" and calling the 2000GT an impressive car "in which to sit or ride - or simply admire."

In 1969, the front was modified slightly, making the driving lamps smaller and changing the shape of the turn signals. The rear turn signals were enlarged at the same time, and some alterations were made to modernise the interior. The last few vehicles were fitted with air conditioning and had automatic transmission as an option. These cars had an additional scoop fitted underneath the grille to supply air to the A/C unit.

The 3M DOHC 2.0 liter inline six was the 2000GT's main engine

Only nine special models were fitted with the larger but less powerful 2M SOHC 2.3 liter inline six

The engine was a longitudinally mounted 1,988 cc (2.0 L; 121.3 cu in) straight-6 (the 3M) based on the engine in the top-of-the-line Toyota Crown sedan. It was transformed by Yamaha into a sports car engine by coupling three 2-barrel Mikuni-Solex 40 PHH carburetors[6][7] to a new DOHC head that produced 150 PS (148 bhp; 110 kW) at 6,600 rpm and 175 N⋅m (129 lb⋅ft) at 5,000 rpm of torque.

Nine special MF-12 models were also built with the larger but lower output SOHC 2.3 L 2M-B engine, which produced 140 PS (138 bhp; 103 kW) at 5,800 rpm and 201 N⋅m (148 lb⋅ft) at 3,800 rpm of torque.

Fitted with a five-speed manual transmission, the rear wheel drive car was available with three different final drives. A 4.375 ratio axle car was claimed to be capable of reaching 135 mph (217 km/h) and achieve 7.59 L/100 km (31 mpg_‑US; 37 mpg_‑imp).[8]

Both a limited slip differential and all-round power-assisted disc brake, a first for a Japanese car, were standard. The dashboard mounted emergency brake gripped the rear discs directly.

Only 351 regular production units of the 2000GT were built, figures comparable to contemporary elite Italian supercars. Taking two years for production vehicles to finally emerge, a total of 233 MF10s, 109 MF10Ls, and nine MF12Ls were built by Yamaha according to Toyota and Yamaha data. In America, the 2000GT sold for about $6,800, much more than contemporary Porsches and Jaguars. As a “halo car” for Toyota, it is believed that no profit was made on the 2000GT despite its high price. About 60 units reached North America and the others were similarly thinly spread worldwide. Most 2000GTs were painted either red or white.

Toyota entered the 2000GT in competition at home, coming third in the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix and winning the Fuji 1000 Kilometres 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 also entered a pair of 2000GTs to compete in the 1968 SCCA production car races in the CP category. Initially Shelby built three cars, including one spare. Although it performed well, it was the only season the car competed in the US. Toyota took back one of the cars and rebuilt it into a replica of their record car, which still resides in Japan. The two remaining Shelby cars remain in the United States.

2000GT used in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice

The 2000GT made its most famous screen appearance in the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice, most of which was filmed in Japan. Two one-off topless models - fitted only with tonneau covers to simulate functioning convertible roofs - were made specially for the film. It is claimed a targa had been considered to accommodate the burly 6' 2" Sean Connery. This retained the original car's fastback profile but eliminated rear side windows. Purportedly, Connery's head stuck out of the top and a roofless version was fabricated in less than two weeks for the movie.[9] The car was mainly driven by Bond girlfriend Aki (Akiko Wakabayashi) in the film.[10]

Bond actor Daniel Craig voted the 2000GT as his favourite Bond car of all time.[11]