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This Legendary 1967 Toyota 2000GT Was Refurbished Twice, Still Sold for a Ton of Cash

Someone just paid $1,150,000 for this 1967 Toyota 2000GT that has only 1,400 mi (2,250 km) on the odometer. Despite being refurbished two times in the last three decades, this magnificent car still managed to rake in a good chunk of cash. But it’s not a record!
1967 Toyota 2000GT 8 photos
Photo: lambogas on Bring a Trailer
1967 Toyota 2000GT Interior1967 Toyota 2000GT1967 Toyota 2000GT1967 Toyota 2000GT1967 Toyota 2000GT Interior1967 Toyota 2000GT1967 Toyota 2000GT Trunk
Back in the 1960s, Toyota wanted to prove it can create a vehicle that surpasses any prejudice against Japanese cars. They decided on a car with a long bonnet and a small rear overhang. In theory, this sounds simple, but the automaker had to find the perfect balance. That’s why the engine went almost in the middle of the car. It eventually appeared as a contender for European automotive products. The stylish cruiser turned into a halo car for the brand almost instantly. It was, after all, a marvelous fastback coupe.

Enter the Toyota 2000GT – Japan’s shining moment in the automotive industry from 60 years ago and a massive, unfriendly salute to the Jaguar E-Type. It was wild at the time. Nobody expected such a vehicle to come from the Asian country. The car also shined light on what’s possible when big names come together to create something special, as Yamaha helped with design and production.

The carmaker also proceeded in a very smart way with this vehicle. They didn’t try to make as many as they could, and they chose to sell it only in special Toyota stores. Moreover, only 84 were made in the left-hand-drive configuration.

One of these 84 Toyota 2000GTs just sold on Bring a Trailer for over $1.15 million, even though this car’s history begins in Europe. According to the seller’s description, it was purchased in 1969 by a Toyota dealership in Switzerland. Two years later, it found itself a private owner that changed the vehicle’s color to blue. Just as the ‘80s were starting, Toyota’s Switzerland subsidiary bought it back and used it for advertising purposes.

The car was first refurbished in 1993 and again in 2014. Now it has the correct color, the right numbers-matching engine, and an overhauled interior that suits the original spec.

This car even has the Mikuni-Solex carburetors which were used to transform the two-liter six-cylinder engine sourced from the Toyota Crown into a powerful unit that could safely rev up until 6,600 rpm. That’s when it reached full power.

The 1967 Toyota 2000GT also comes with a five-speed manual gearbox, a limited-slip differential, independent suspension for all the wheels, servo-assisted disc brakes, and magnesium wheels. It might've not broke any world record but it still managed to become the most expensive 2000GT ever sold on the auctioning platform.

The most expensive Toyota 2000GT ever sold was a 1967 Toyota-Shelby model that went for $2,535,000 at Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island auction that happened this year, in March. This one is also the most expensive Japanese car ever sold.
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About the author: Florin Amariei
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Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one.
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