Japanese tuner Rocky Auto has used the domestic Tokyo Auto Salon as an opportunity to showcase its latest big project – a replica of the legendary Toyota 2000GT dating back to the 1960s. The sports car, which you can already pre-order, comes with a roadster body that its historical prototype lacked and a 2.0-liter engine. The company promises to try and keep the price below €200,000.
The project involves building a custom chassis from scratch – no borrowing from ready-made cars – and putting hand-crafted bodywork on top of it. Unlike the elderly original, the revived 2000GT will benefit from such modern comfort features as hydraulic power steering, disc brakes all around, and air conditioner.
Interestingly enough, the project is receiving assistance from none other than Hiroshi Hosoi, the test pilot of the original 2000GT.
A closer look at Rocky Auto’s portfolio reveals that the company is already selling a replica of the same car, dubbed the R3000GT. That one packs a 3.0-liter Toyota 2JZ engine paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. In contrast, the new roadster will use a 2.0-liter engine just like its predecessor did.
Unofficial reports suggest that the R3000GT starts from the equivalent of €200,000 in Japan. The pricing isn’t listed anywhere we could find, but Rocky Auto let it slip that the new 2000GT might end up less expensive than the first replica.
We should learn more about the car and its technical specs as it goes on sale.