Back when photographs were black and white, a Japanese automaker took inspiration from America for its very first production car. Introduced in the mid-1930s, the AA is Toyota’s equivalent to the Chrysler Airflow.
Six decades after it was publicly revealed, the AA received a limited-run tribute in the guise of the Classic. Seriously, that’s what this one-of-100 car is called. The Classic is a lesser-known model of the retro-styled fad from the 1990s, an era that gave us the VW New Beetle and Plymouth Prowler.
Chassis number YN861011197 is a tip-top survivor with fewer than 25,000 kilometers (15,000 miles) on the clock, an oddity that features Hilux underpinnings rather than unitary construction. The body-on-frame sedan also carries over the powertrain of the Hilux from that period, consisting of the 3Y-E 2.0L OHV engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. Customers were also treated to a five-speed manual tranny with a column shifter.
The four-pot lump from the Y engine family is nothing to write home about, an eight-valve mill with fewer than 100 horsepower and 118 pound-feet (160 Nm) on tap. Offered by California-based EuroClassix Cars on Bring a Trailer with Vermont registration, the bi-tone oddball landed stateside in February 2022. Finished in black and burgundy over a red leather-wrapped interior, this example sweetens the deal with chrome bumpers and white pinstripes.
The spare tire cover on the trunk lid? That’s unfortunately fake, considering that Hilux spare wheels are located under the mid-size pickup truck’s bed area. Gifted with pod-style headlights and taillights, running boards, and basketweave alloys wrapped in 205/75 by 14-inch rubber shoes installed in April 2022, the Classic features disc brakes up front and drums out back.
Equipped with a wood-rimmed steering wheel from Nardi, the JDM rarity had its distributor cap and spark plugs replaced in preparation for the sale. First registered in February 1997, chassis number YN861011197 is currently going for $21k after six bids. The auction closes in approximately three hours.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News