A 55-year-old, left-hand-drive Toyota 2000GT coupe fetched $1,150,000 USD at an auction the other day. Different sources say either 84 or 109 examples was made in total, and this one had only 2,250 km (1,400 miles) under its belt.
Toyota designed the 2000GT as a response to the sports car makers of Europe. The model was also called upon to change Japan’s international image as a country producing cheap and practical cars, but little else.
To break the stereotype, Toyota turned the coupe into something of an exclusive item, producing only 350 examples over 3 years and selling them through select dealerships. Most of these cars were right-hand-drive, making this one a rarity,
The 2000GT sold at the auction ended up in Europe 53 years ago thanks to a Swiss dealership, and proceeded to change hands multiple times. It was even used to promote the Toyota brand in Switzerland, but later wound up in a private collection and spent 30 years sitting there. It underwent two restorations and a major engine overhaul. For the past seven years, it has stayed in the United States.
Powering the automotive exotic is a 2.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine equipped with a trio of Miuni-Solex carburetors. Back in its glory days, the unit produced up to 150 metric horsepower (148 hp / 110 kW). A five-speed manual transmission drives the rear wheels through a self-locking differential.
As impressive as the selling price may seem, it is merely a half of the absolute record for this model.