Nineteen sixty-seven was a banner year for Toyota. In November 1966, the Japanese juggernaut launched the Corolla, which was to become their first true global car. In September 1967, the Century was announced – the marque’s first real luxury car, named to commemorate the 100th birthday of the company’s founder, Sakichi Toyoda. And between those two momentous debuts, in May 1967, Toyota unveiled the glorious 2000GT – Japan’s first supercar.
The story of the Toyota 2000GT is rather complex, as is the car itself in many ways. For starters, it should more correctly be called “Yamaha-Toyota 2000GT” – with Yamaha in first place for a reason. It’s a stunning design, as was acknowledged even at the time, but the author of that low and curvaceous body has been the subject of some debate. And finally, as wonderful as it was, the car was an expensive failure for its maker(s).
In the early ‘60s, Japan’s car industry was done playing catch-up in most key segments. Market-specific kei cars aside, by 1963 Japanese automakers had pretty much conquered small city cars (Toyota Publica, Daihatsu Compagno), compact family cars (Hino Contessa, Mazda Familia), mid-range family cars (Isuzu Bellett, Nissan Bluebird, Toyota Corona), large family cars (Prince Gloria, Nissan Cedric), roadsters (Honda S500, Nissan Fairlady), 4x4s (Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol) and were about to break into the executive saloon segment with the Toyota Crown V8 and the Nissan President. The last major item on the list, and one of the toughest ones to get right, was high-end sports cars.
The Nippon Gakki Co. was founded in 1887 to manufacture pianos, organs and other instruments, which they were (and still are) very successful at. After the war, during which they manufactured aircraft propellers, the company started looking for opportunities to branch out into the automotive sector. In 1955, the first Yamaha motorcycle was produced – a copy of a DKW design. The firm also began to manufacture marine engines. In 1961, Yamaha engineers put together their first car, codenamed YX30, featuring a 1.6 litre DOHC all-alloy 4-cyl. engine inspired from the MGA and the Facel-Vega Facellia. Two prototypes were made, but nothing came of it.
In the (then-small) circle of Japanese automotive engineers, the Yamaha sports car prototype did generate quite a bit of excitement. The first to come calling were Nissan, who worked with Yamaha to make prototypes for the Silvia coupé. Yamaha simultaneously finalized another prototype – the 1964 A550X above – that Nissan planned to launch as the 2000GT. It had pop-up headlights, a sexy coupé body (designed, like the Silvia, with some input from Albrecht von Goertz) and a 2-litre DOHC 4-cyl. producing 120hp. However, relations between Yamaha and Nissan deteriorated quickly, so the A550X was not allowed to go ahead. The Silvia did, but Yamaha were no longer involved in its manufacture.
Even as the Yamaha-Nissan drama was unfolding in late 1964, Toyota were busy working on their own 2-litre sports car program, codenamed 280A. They did not get very far (mostly sketches, a miniature and the spec sheet) before catching wind of the Yamaha-Nissan prototype. In January 1965, Toyota decided to join forces with Yamaha to bring the 280A project to fruition. Toyota had realized that their resources were stretched very thin and they needed a partner to carry out prototype testing and manufacturing for such an ambitious vehicle. For their part, Yamaha saw an opportunity to gain a foothold in the automobile sector.
Progress was swift indeed, at least from the body point of view: Yamaha produced the first (quite rough) prototype by August 1965; a second one, boasting far better finish, was on the Toyota stand at the Tokyo Motor Show in October of that year.
The 280A’s technical spec sheet required a lot more sorting out, given the two companies’ diametrically opposed approaches to the project. Whereas Yamaha were thinking unit body, Toyota insisted upon a Lotus-like backbone chassis. The suspension was independent all around by coil-sprung double wishbones – again, the Lotus Elan influence was clear. Disc brakes on all four corners were also part of the package, as were magnesium wheels. All those things took a little time to suss out, obviously. And so did the drivetrain.
Toyota had just started production of their new M engine, a 1988cc OHC straight-6 that was to be found under the hoods of the Crown. Using the same M block, Yamaha developed a significantly different animal dubbed 3M. Twin overhead cams, alloy hemi head, alloy pistons, three Mikuni-Solex carbs (Webers had been specified, but could not be obtained) – all very promising and providing a healthy 150hp (DIN).
The engine sits right behind the front wheels, explaining the car’s long nose. Right behind it, more or less between the seats, lies the 5-speed gearbox, developed specially for the car by Aisin.
Throughout 1966, Yamaha were extremely busy making more prototypes, testing them and often taking them apart again to figure out how certain pieces were wearing. Toyota announced they would start accepting orders for their upcoming supercar, but at a starting price of ¥2.38 million, i.e. more than the price of two fully-loaded Crowns, public response was somewhat muted.
Toyota did try to find a solution: the 390A. This would have been a “low-cost” 2000GT, made from pressed steel panels and featuring fixed headlights, no fog lamps, cheaper taillights and a vastly simplified interior. It was to be assembled by Kanto Auto Works, using Yamaha-supplied parts. But the investments required to manufacture the bodies were deemed too costly, and Kanto Auto were already very busy putting the Century into production. The 390A, which was also key to the 2000GT’s export hopes, remained stillborn.
In the end, the 2000GT would be entirely assembled and finished by hand at Yamaha, keeping costs extremely high. In fact, Toyota lost a lot of money on the program. The car’s official launch in May 1967 was still a cause for celebration across Japan, as the 2000GT was clearly a major technical achievement from Toyota and Yamaha.
The list of achievements extended to the interior. The dash was decked out in superb wood veneer, courtesy of Yamaha’s piano branch.
Obviously, as this car was bought new in Japan, it’s right-hand drive. Contrary to what one might think though, Toyota did attempt to export the 2000GT and made an LHD version, at least in 1967-68. Numbers of LHD cars produced found online do vary significantly, but the most often quoted (and highest) one is 109, of which about 65 were sold in the United States. A few RHD cars also went to foreign owners in Australia, the UK or South Africa.
The foreign press were very curious about this Japanese wundercar, and usually very complimentary about the whole thing. However, over time, some confusion seems to have crept up in certain Western accounts of the Toyota 2000GT’s creation story. I know that when I first read about these, circa 25 years ago in French- or English-language classic car publications, the car’s styling was widely attribute to Albrecht von Goertz, who is also famous for having designed the BMW 507.
It’s unclear to me who started this rumour, but it is completely false. Goertz himself apparently denied having worked on the Toyota. After all, his contract was (briefly) with Nissan in 1963-64, not Toyota. Perhaps because he worked (and how much he did is another question worth pondering) on the Silvia and the A550X, which were made in collaboration with Yamaha, someone somewhere figured he had also worked on the other big Yamaha project of the period.
So for the record, even though most Western sources have acknowledged this by now, the Toyota 2000GT was designed by Satoru Nozaki (1929-2009), who worked for Toyota. He also designed the shovel-nosed Corona. I like this one better.
The 2000GT evolved little over its relatively short production run. A second series did take over in 1969, featuring a revamped nose and a few added creature comforts, including an optional automatic gearbox. Nine LHD cars were fitted with a 2.3 litre SOHC 6-cyl. mooted for another bite at the American market, but the idea was dropped. The last car was made in August 1970, and Toyota did not plan on replacing it in their 1971 range.
Too expensive, too ambitious, too pretty for this world? Even in its native land, where it is more likely to be encountered on the road, a 2000GT sighting is cause for a lot of mouth-agape picture-taking. Total production data, by the way, are also in some dispute: English-language websites claim 351 units, while Japanese ones typically claim 337 “including prototypes and LHD cars.” The discrepancy is small, but given how tiny the herd is, a dozen more or less does matter.
For instance, I’m not sure if the Japanese number takes the race specials into consideration. Those were 1966 prototype cars repurposed for the track, with an all-aluminium body, no pop-up headlights, a stripped out interior and an engine tuned to over 220hp. Two are seen here at Fuji Speedway in 1967, lapping a Sports 800 on both sides. Famously, two ’66 prototypes were also heavily modified as roadsters for Sean Connery to be able to fit in the car.
Most of the cars I’ve seen around town (and I haven’t seen many) were in this creamy white shade, but there were other colours available, including yellow, red, green and silver. But I guess the white is the car’s “unveiling colour” from the 1965 Tokyo Motor Show, so the great majority were ordered this way.
It took almost five years for yours truly to finally be able to photograph one of these standing still. Well, there are quite a few immobile ones in museums across the country, but where’s the fun in that? For although the 2000GT was a huge undertaking for its makers for absolutely zero financial benefit, the halo effect was considerable, both within Japan and abroad.
Related posts:
Vintage Review: 1968 Toyota 2000GT – April 1968 Car and Driver Road Test, by GN
CC Capsule: 2022 Rocky 3000GT – A Star Is Re-Born, by T87
I don’t think it matters much if/that Toyota lost money on these. They were very much a halo car, Toyota could afford to lose money on them in exchange for the attention the 2000 GT garnered for the company.
Also, this might be the first time I’ve studied the car in a full profile shot, and I’m kinda convinced that Nissan/Datsun was looking at a 2000GT when they started sketching the 240/Fairlady Z. (Although I don’t know if the timeline works.) If you exchange the softly-curved edges for sharper bends, this car very much turns into a Z-car.
The earlier Nissan/Yamaha A550x version shown sure has some ’63 Corvette notes in it’s front end. The Toyota 2000GT did a good job with a unique design clearly meant to compete with Jag’s E-type, both very handsome but with the distinct flavor of their native lands.
What is the smaller square access door ahead of the driver’s door?
I think that gives access to the battery and brake booster.
About the square access door ahead of the door : Just this element makes you think of a not very refined kit-car. Of course not but a more elegant solution would have been desirable.
Very nice and very rare car, At least one made it to OZ and survived thats the only one Ive seen live.
Lovely car, and a well-told story. I wonder in part whether the Goertz story was a case of confusion with the Datsun 240Z?
I’ve only seen the 2000GT in magazines and online. I remember reading a road test of an Australian-delivered car when new. There seemed to be such a disconnec t between this and the rest of Toyota’s product line as sold here.
In the shade under those trees this one almost looks more of a light grey, which is interesting. Certainly more tasteful than…
The confusion with regard to Goertz was that he spent roughly the last 35 years of his life encouraging people to think he was responsible for designing the Fairlady Z — which he was not — and generally playing into prejudices towards Japanese designs. I’ve always found it insufferable, and it has materially confounded a lot of Western accounts of the history of the Fairlady Z.
Growing up, I actually much preferred the styling of the Opel GT. I felt it was a cleaner, and less busy GT design. Tighter bodywork as well. Not as ‘bloaty’ appearing. I still feel the same way today.
The Opel GT design always reminds me of the Rolling Stones logo; whether that’s a plus or a minus is I suppose a subjective question.
(I like the Opel GT, which I think is neat-looking, but it’s also very fussy, and to my eyes, there’s not much to choose between it and the 2000GT in that regard.)
A point that I think has to factor into the ROI on the 2000GT was that it began a long-term relationship between Yamaha and Toyota, which enlisted Yamaha to develop similar DOHC head conversions for various Toyota engines, beginning with the T50 1600GT Tatra87-sensei has covered previously. This association eventually encompassed nearly every JDM Toyota engine family from 1967 to about 1982; I don’t think Yamaha was involved in the 4A-GE or 1G-GE, but they had a hand in all or nearly all the twin-cam engines before that.
“I don’t think Yamaha was involved in the 4A-GE or 1G-GE”
The heads in both were fully developed by Yamaha (as well as the 3T-GTEU). All the following ‘GE’ Toyota heads have Yamaha input to some degree or another.
The T-system G engine, yes, but Toyota does not acknowledge Yamaha involvement in the design of the 4A-GE, although they do of the earlier ones. So, I dunno.
I have never seen one in the metal, and not quite got the fuss from pictures. But that three-quarter view from the Tokyo show, on wires, with the confusions of the face invisible, what a stunning car.
They do look better in the metal. The 2000GT has a lot of complex curves that don’t photograph well; camera lenses tend to flatten the surface enough that it looks like a daub of toothpaste in a way it doesn’t to the naked eye. Its low ride height is also striking. If you don’t like the aesthetic generally, seeing one up close won’t change your mind, but it does more convincingly say, “Okay, this is a bona fide mid-’60s exotic sports car, not a giant plastic Airfix model of an E-type.”
Yes, yes, the Airfix thing! The slightly globby details, that actually-a-bit-ugly Le Man-car headlight face – both of which disappear in that overhead three-quarter – and the many body openings do indeed give a gluey impression of an E-type.
But, dare I say it, the essential shape is nicer than one of those.
Have to agree with that – plus, it’s tiny!
BTW – I’ve never really liked the dirigible E-Type*, so it has the be the ‘Yoda for me.
*I never got the opportunity to tell s. Ferrari he was wrong…
Not too many cars might be called “slinky”—but this one could, along with certain underslung cars (from Britain ?) of the ‘thirties. Another ancestor (from all of five years previous ?) would be the XKE coupe . . . surely ?
I stumbled across one parked in the street in Oakland’s Chinatown back around 1970. I instantly knew what it was, being a big consumer of car magazines at the time. It did exude the aroma of a true exotic, and it was so small and delicate looking compared to the Corvette. I think of it as a Datsun 240Z built without the cost compromises. I give credit to Nissan though, they built a car that echoes the attraction of the 2000, but in a financially sound package. It won generations of fans, as well as a successful racing legacy that lasted well past it’s time in production.
Speaking of the 2000GT’s antecedents, I think that backbone chassis and rear struts are very Lotus Elan like.
I’ve driven a few of them.
Unfortunately, only on the Xbox platform, in PGR2.
But they were fun to drive nevertheless!
Nice to see pictures of one on the street!